Police conducted a raid on Thursday at the residence of veteran political leader Javed Hashmi and detained his son-in-law, Zahid Hashmi. The raid was conducted on Hashmi’s residence on the day he was organising a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) convention at his ancestral home. His son-in-law, Zahid, is a candidate from PP-220 Multan for PTI. The children of Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Zain Qureshi and Mehrabano Qureshi, were also expected to participate in the PTI convention. Hashmi took to the micro-blogging website X (formerly Twitter), claiming that at least 20 police officials surrounded his house and broke down the doors. However, police maintained that no individual was taken into custody during the raid. The veteran leader earlier announced the withdrawal of his candidacy and pledged support to the local PTI candidate from NA-149 Multan. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had accepted Hashmi’s nomination papers for the upcoming general elections as an independent candidate from the NA-149 constituency. Lates, speaking to the media, Hashmi said, “I am announcing my withdrawal as a candidate from the general elections on February 8 and joining the PTI fold with all my strength.” Hashmi also announced that he was not boycotting the elections, adding that now “I will ask for votes not for myself but for the PTI candidate” and added that instead of asking for votes, he would raise his voice. Last month, Hashmi declared his support for Imran Khan and the embattled PTI.