ISLAMABAD: Islamabad police on Monday arrested Pakistan Information Secretary Raoof Hasan of the party’s Central Secretariat for running a digital media cell allegedly involved in running propaganda against Pakistan and its integrity.
After reports emerged regarding the arrest of PTI spokesperson and chairman Gohar Khan, the capital city police clarified that they arrested Hasan only during the raid “based on evidence”.
“The digital media center of PTI has become a hub of international disinformation from where anti-Pakistan propaganda is being directed across the world,” the police said.
Meanwhile, Gohar said that he went to the police lines along with Hasan, however the police said that since the PTI chairman was in no way wanted, he could leave. He said Hasan was detained on police lines.
Police said those directly involved in anti-national propaganda have been arrested and all evidence from PTI’s digital media cell has been taken into custody.
In a statement on X, the party said: “It is utterly shameful how the Islamabad police continue to completely mock and ignore every law in this country. Pakistan is ruled by the law of the jungle!”
PTI reported that the police also seized a computer and some other equipment from the party secretariat.
Footage shared by the party on X shows numerous police vehicles and some police officials outside its secretariat.
Police sources denied the report of the arrest of four women and the seizure of the office’s laptop and documents.
PTI leader Khurrum Sher Zaman condemned the raid on the former ruling party’s central secretariat and said the arrest was made on the instructions of the “Form-47 government”.
“We have been informed that they have locked staff in a room awaiting the arrival of a prison van and have taken computers and important documents,” he wrote on X.
Adviser to Chief Minister on Information Muhammad Ali Saif said the arrest of PTI leaders showed that “the government is taking its last breath”.
The federal government had broken all the records of fascism and even resorted to dishonest tactics, he said, adding that he was not afraid of them.
“The fight for real democracy and ensuring the rule of law will continue,” Saif said.
Meanwhile, the PTI staged a demonstration in Lahore demanding that the authorities release its leaders and workers.
The PTI’s lawyers wing and other supporters participated in large numbers in the protest led by Punjab Opposition Leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhacher.
Dozens of workers and leaders of the militant party are behind bars after last year’s May 9 attacks, which followed the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan in a graft case.
Imran, a 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician, has been in jail for nearly a year in three cases — the Toshakhan case, the cipher case and the un-Islamic marriage case. His wife Bushra Bibi is also behind bars.
However, the court stayed his sentence in the Toshakhan case, while other courts overturned his conviction in the cipher and iddat cases.
Although there were hopes of his and Bushra’s release in July, they were dashed when the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested them on new charges related to the sale of state gifts.
