Inviting martial law: Four arrested over controversial vote

BANNU: Police on Monday arrested four people for allegedly holding a ‘referendum’ in which they asked people to choose between the army and politicians in Bannu city of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Muhammad Aslam of al Aslam Foundation had organised the referendum outside Bannu Press Club, where banners and posters were also put up.

The banners displayed the picture of army chief General Raheel Sharif opposite the pictures of Nawaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto and Imran Khan and read: “Public Decision – who do you support for a stable Pakistan?”.

However, police reached the spot and arrested the head of al Aslam Foundation and his three accomplices – Sohail, Muhammad Naseeb and Mehtab.

Earlier this month, posters begging Gen Raheel Sharif to ‘come at last’ had emerged in many cities of the country.

While the army has distanced itself from the campaign, the posters had stirred quite a controversy and the PPP’s Senator Aitzaz Ahsan had demanded to hold treason trial of the individuals behind the campaign.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2016.