Two senior leaders from Imran Khan's party arrested
Islamabad (PTI): Two senior leaders of Imran Khan's party were arrested on Friday as the Pakistan government launched a crackdown on the opposition party amidst the worsening political turmoil in the country following the former prime minister's arrest in a corruption case.
Shireen Mazari, a former federal minister for Human Rights, was arrested from her house.
Imaan Hazir-Mazari, the daughter of Mazari and a lawyer, shared a video on Twitter that appeared to show plainclothes men forcefully entering her home to arrest the former minister.
Later, another video emerged on Twitter showing female officers taking the former minister away from her residence. As she was escorted to a police vehicle, Mazari raised a victory sign, saying "victory for democracy", while condemning "state terrorism" as unacceptable.
Shortly before posting the video, Mazari's daughter had tweeted that approximately 50 cops carrying firearms had entered her residence.
"Our SVP Dr Shireen Mazari is being abducted at this precise moment. Police have also entered with guns her home, reaching a new low. Extremely shameful!" the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) wrote on Twitter.
Her arrest comes after a series of arrests of several other PTI leaders, including Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Ali Mohammad Khan, and Senator Ejaz Chaudhry.
All of these leaders other than Khan were arrested under section three of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).
According to a PTI statement, former Punjab health minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has also been arrested.
PTI leader Andaleeb Abbas said that the former minister was hiding to avoid arrest.
"Police had taken her close family members into custody two days ago but her husband was released after his health deteriorated. Her brother-in-law is still in police custody.
There are several cases filed against Yasmin, including that of an attack on the Lahore Corps Commander's residence.
Khan, 70, was arrested on Tuesday from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and an accountability court Wednesday handed him over to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for eight days remand in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.
His arrest sparked widespread protests across Pakistan, prompting the government to deploy the army in the national capital as well as in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. The violent protests left at least eight people dead.
On Thursday, a three-member Supreme Court bench, comprising Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Athar Minallah, ordered Khan's immediate release. Khan is facing over 120 cases across the country, including for allegedly committing treason and blasphemy and inciting violence and terrorism.
The bench, while hearing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman's plea against his arrest, expressed anger at the way he was taken into custody by paramilitary Rangers and ordered the NAB to produce him before it.
Khan, who was ousted from power in April last year, was brought to the court amid heavy security.
The court also directed him to approach the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday and seek further legal recourse. "You will have to accept whatever the high court decides," the top judge said.
Bandial also said that it is every politician's responsibility to ensure law and order.
Khan is set to appear before the IHC on Friday for pre-arrest bail amid tight security as his party announced a rally on the occasion and asked followers to gather nearby the court for the leader's address.
The IHC upheld his arrest but the Supreme Court on Thursday invalidated his incarceration declaring no one could be arrested from inside the court and ordered his release as it directed police to keep him in the Supreme Court's protection and produce him before the high court at 11 am.
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PM Modi speaks to Iranian president, discusses 'serious' situation in West Asia
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday night spoke to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian over the phone and discussed the "serious situation" in West Asia.
Modi expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions in the region and the loss of civilian lives as well as damage to civilian infrastructure.
The prime minister told the Iranian President that the safety and security of Indian nationals, along with the need for unhindered transit of goods and energy, remain India's top priorities.
“Had a conversation with Iranian President, Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, to discuss the serious situation in the region. Expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions and the loss of civilian lives as well as damage to civilian infrastructure,” Modi said in a post on X.
The prime minister also reiterated India's commitment to peace and stability and urged dialogue and diplomacy to end the crisis.
The prime minister had spoken to leaders of several West Asian countries in the last 10 days in the wake of the coordinated offensive launched against Iran by the United States and Israel, in which the Islamic country's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed last month.
In retaliation, Iran has fired drones and missiles at Israel and US military installations around the Gulf region, including the global business and aviation hubs of Dubai and Doha.
Modi earlier spoke to the leaders of Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Israel and Qatar, and expressed concern over the attacks on their countries, and condemned the violation of some nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He also discussed the welfare and security of the Indian community residing in those countries.
Around 1 crore Indians live in the Gulf and West Asia. While about 10,000 Indian citizens live, study and work in Iran, more than 40,000 live in Israel.
