Opposition politician, journalist critical of army arrested in overnight raids

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE

Staff RepoRt

In a dramatic turn of events, the government of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) arrested a senior journalist and a leader of an opposition party before dawn on Thursday on charges involving criticism of the military’s political influence.

While anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan, a fierce critic of the military and the central government, was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Lahore, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, chief of the Awami Muslim League (AML) party, was taken into custody by Islamabad police just after midnight.

According to his nephew, Sheikh Rashid Shafique, Ahmad was arrested from his residence in Bahria Town society in Islamabad. He told reporters that dozens of police officers forcibly entered his uncle’s house before dawn and arrested him, although Ahmad had already obtained a protective bail.

The former interior minister is charged with accusing former president Asif Ali Zardari, whose Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is part of the ruling coalition, of hatching a “murder plot to eliminate former prime minister Imran Khan”, who made a similar claim days ago.

The arrest was made following a police complaint filed by Raja Inayat ur-Rehman, a vice president of the Rawalpindi Division of the party. The complaint cited remarks Ahmad made in a television

Former PTI MP faces sedition charge over criticism of military’s approach to TTP

ISLAMABAD: Shandana Gulzar Khan, a former Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) MP, has been booked for sedition in a case filed over her criticism of the military made during a political chat show. The first information report (FIR) was registered on January 31 at a women’s police station in Islamabad and Khan has been charged under sections 153-A, 505 and 124-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The FIR claims Khan attempted to incite violence and create disharmony in the country through her comments on the TV channel. This makes Khan the third opposition lawmaker to face sedition charges after Azam Khan Swati and Fawad Chaudhry, both of whom are currently out on bail. Staff RepoRt interview on January 27, allegedly accusing Zardari of having ties with militant groups and plotting to kill former prime minister Khan.

The claim followed a similar accusation made by the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party in an address broadcast on January 27, in which he claimed that Zardari was behind a fresh assassination plot against him.

The first information report (FIR) against Ahmad was registered at Aabpara police station in Islamabad under sections 120-B, 153-A, and 505 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), relating to criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity between different groups, and statements that could cause public mischief.

KP counter-terrorism head transferred

PESHAWAR: Following the suicide bombing at the mosque in Peshawar, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Javed Iqbal was removed from his post and transferred to the so-called special branch. According to the notification on Thursday, Charsadda Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Sohail Khalid has been assigned the additional charge of the office, in the wake of the rise in militant violence in the province. Zahid Marwat will assume the charge of Charsadda police chief after his return from leave. Authorities said Wednesday the death toll from Monday’s suicide bombing increased by one to 101. It was not clear how the bomber was able to slip into the walled police compound in a high-security zone with other government buildings. Staff RepoRt