Daily Times

The PTI President Parvez Elahi was rearrested on Tuesday hours after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended his detention under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) and directed his release.

He has now been arrested at least 11 times in various cases since the start of June and after a statewide crackdown was launched against the PTI in the aftermath of the May 9 violence. Following his latest arrest Tuesday, the Islamabad police said that Elahi was detained in a case registered at the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police station.

The PTI shared footage of Elahi’s arrest and criticised the authorities for his latest arrest. “Absolutely shameful how courts orders keeps getting disrespected by the fascist regime. Parvez Elahi’s crime is standing for Pakistan, crime is not leaving PTI despite massive pressure,” the PTI posted on social media platform X in its condemnation of the arrest. Reacting to the development during a media talk in Islamabad, Elahi’s lawyer Sardar Abdul Raziq Khan said: “I think all limits have been crossed. This is injustice with the country and its institutions and equivalent to making a mockery of the law and Constitution.”

The lawyer said as soon as he and Elahi sat inside their car outside the jail, “some people present there blocked our way, forcefully opened our car’s door and made me, my driver and associate step out”. Meanwhile, Elahi was “abducted” and taken away, he added. The first information report (FIR) against Elahi was registered at the CTD police station on March 18 on the complaint of Ramna police Station House Officer Malik Rasheed. The case pertained to the clashes on that day between Islamabad Police and PTI workers outside the Judicial Complex.

The case was lodged under Sections 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 380 (theft in dwelling house, etc), 395 (punishment for dacoity), 427 (mischief causing damage amounting to Rs50), 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage), 440 (mischief committed after preparation made for causing death or hurt) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

March 18’s events were marred by clashes between the police and PTI workers amid party chairman Imran Khan’s appearance at the Judicial Complex in a hearing for the Toshakhana case. The Islamabad police had alleged that party workers had shelled the Judicial Complex and set fire to a police post. In turn, the PTI had also accused the police of shelling Imran’s vehicle.

Earlier in the day, the IHC suspended Elahi’s detention under MPO Section 3 and ordered his release.

On Friday, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had ordered that the former Punjab chief minister be released along with a restraining order against his possible arrest by any agency or preventive detention.

However, hours after he was released from Adiala Jail, an Islamabad police team, assisted by the Punjab police, had intercepted a white SUV near the FCC underpass in which Elahi was travelling to his house along with lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa. The police personnel had shifted Elahi into a white car with no licence plate. The car drove him to Islamabad. Visuals of the arrest drama had gone viral on social media. According to the capital police, Elahi was taken into custody on orders of the district magistrate under Section 3 of the MPO.