President Alvi says “shocked” to see video of Imran’s arrest.
“Video shows the abuse of a former prime minister,” he says.
“Heart-wrenching, regrettable,” he terms ongoing situation.
In a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Arif Alvi Thursday deplored the manner in which Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan was arrested inside the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises.
“I would like to draw your attention to the way Imran Khan was arrested,” the president wrote in the letter two days after the PTI chief was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case, which led to widespread deadly protests.
“The people of Pakistan and I were shocked to see the video of this incident. The video shows the abuse of a former prime minister. Imran Khan is a popular leader and the head of a major political party.”
He further added that law enforcement personnel had forcibly entered the Islamabad High Court, while the biometric process of Khan was going on.
Earlier, President Alvi on Twitter also condemned the “heart-wrenching and regrettable” situation the country has descended into.
The president said: “The way some miscreants have damaged public property, particularly government and military buildings, is condemnable.”
President Alvi tweeted: “I am alarmed, shocked & deeply disturbed over the current situation in the country arising out of the arrest & manhandling of the former PM Imran Khan. The loss of human lives as an aftermath is heart-wrenching, regrettable, unfortunate & highly condemnable.”
He further added that while the right to protest is a constitutional right of any person, it should remain “within the bounds of the law”.
“Protest is a constitutional right of every citizen of Pakistan but should always remain within the bounds of the law.
“The way some miscreants have damaged public property, particularly government and military buildings, is condemnable.”
President Alvi ended his statement by urging stakeholders to look for political solutions and appealing to citizens to remain peaceful.
“We must have a re-Think & look for political solutions, rather than coercion & arrests. I have conveyed my concerns to the political & military leadership & am hopeful that the situation can improve. I strongly appeal to all citizens of the country to remain peaceful,” the tweet concluded.
It must be noted that, according to a statement by the Punjab police, more than 145 police officers and officials have been wounded across Punjab meanwhile 69 vehicles used by Punjab Police were vandalised and set on fire.
Moreover, PTI protestors also attacked the General Headquarters (GHQ) and ransacked the Lahore Corps Commander’s home, along with the buildings of Radio Pakistan and APP.
Consequently, 1,386 PTI workers have been arrested in Punjab on the charges of vandalism, violence and arson of public and private properties.
The violent protests that have gripped the country are the aftermath of the arrest of Khan from the Islamabad High Court premises on May 9 by paramilitary troops on the directions of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
The coordination committees of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are scheduled to convene today at the Governor’s House in Lahore to deliberate on power-sharing arrangements in Punjab.
The PPP delegation would comprise Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Makhdoom Syed Ahmed Mahmood, Nadeem Afzal Chan, Hassan Murtaza, and Ali Haider Gilani.
Ishaq Dar, Azam Nazir Tarar, Rana Sanaullah, Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan, and Maryam Aurangzeb will represent the PML-N.
The conference will discuss local issues in Punjab and offer a forum for the PPP to express its concerns over its collaboration with PML-N in the province.
Both parties seek to fortify their partnership and optimize governance techniques in Punjab.
Sheikh Rasheed voiced his worries about the nation’s ongoing political dilemma while speaking outside the Anti-Terrorism Court.
According to Sheikh Rasheed, a committee was established to negotiate, but the process has not produced any tangible results. In order to emphasize the seriousness of the situation, he said, “Political conditions are extremely bad.”
He made the joke, “Even after war, if negotiations fail, then it will all come down to judo karate,” in reference to the next steps.
“Everyone there prays for Pakistan’s betterment,” Sheikh Rasheed, who had returned from Saudi Arabia, said. He emphasized the necessity for the nation’s circumstances to improve and stabilize.
Assad Qaiser, a former speaker and PTI leader, had earlier called on Speaker Ayaz Sadiq of the National Assembly to discuss the official start of talks with the government.
The two leaders shared their opinions on bringing parties together on matters of national importance and reducing political tensions and conflict.
“I will persuade my people, you persuade the hardliners in your party,” Ayaz Sadiq said to Assad Qaiser.
The party’s founder is in jail, and the PTI leadership has asked to meet with him. “We will continue to confer with him,” Assad Qaiser declared.
Earlier, PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai stated that if the discussions don’t begin, a campaign of civil disobedience will begin on December 14.
Speaking to the media Regarding the meetings, Yousafzai claimed that the government ministers were making insincere remarks.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) conducted a hearing about the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) plea for the revocation of Bushra Bibi’s bail.
The court, led by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, rejected the FIA’s petition during the hearing.
Judicial Proceedings
Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb sought information regarding Bushra Bibi’s location, to which her attorney, Barrister Salman Safdar, affirmed her attendance in court.
The judge urged the counsel to regard the matters with gravity, underscoring the necessity of adherence to trial protocols.
The court sought details about instances where Bushra Bibi had been exempted from attending trial hearings and clarified that if the High Court grants bail and the accused fails to appear, the trial court holds the authority to cancel the bail.
Justice Aurangzeb assured that such actions would not amount to contempt of the High Court’s order.
Based on these considerations, the court closed the proceedings and dismissed the FIA’s plea.