Abbasi holds PM Imran responsible for Sindh IGP's 'detention'

Calls on courts to take suo moto action on matters that came to light following Capt Safdar's arrest

ISLAMABAD:

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi held Prime Minister Imran Khan responsible for Sindh Inspector General of Police's 'detention' in the lead-up to Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz leader Capt (retd) Safdar's arrest in Karachi on October 18.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday, the former premier and senior PML-N leader called on the courts to take a suo moto action in the wake of matters that came to the fore following the arrest.

The former premier stated that the matter of PML-N leader's - who is also the husband of party vice president Maryam Nawaz - arrest has been in the media for the past four days, and "more information and complications regarding the case keep coming to light".

The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) general secretary further stated that "the matter is serious as the Constitution has been violated". Referring to Maryam's claims that the room of their door was broken down to arrest the latter, Abbasi said the government was part and parcel in violating the sanctity of the chaddor and char deewari, and that the order for its violation was given by the prime minister himself, which was unlawful.

"In giving the order, the premier not only violated his oath, but also forced other officials to violate their oaths," the PML-N leader stated.

Abbasi further added that the Centre attacked the jurisdiction of the provincial government by detaining Sindh IGP Mushtaq Mahar and forcing him to issue Safdar's arrest orders. "The two institutions that surrounded the IGP's house come under the federal government and take orders from the prime minister," he observed.

The former premier said, "PM Imran has been silent on the issue throughout, which is why [Pakistan Peoples Party] chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari called on the army chief to take notice of the incident." However, Abbasi added, the matter related to the hotel room door being broken down does not come under the army chief's jurisdiction.

Capt Safdar's arrest

Sindh Police on Monday arrested former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s son-in-law captain Safdar from his hotel room in Karachi. He was later released on bail.

The arrest came in response to a case filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf local MPAs against Maryam Nawaz, Captain (retd) Safdar and other PML-N leaders for violating the sanctity of the Quaid's mausoleum.

However, the case took a complicating turn when allegations of the Sindh IGP being taken into custody and forced into issuing the PML-N leaders arrest orders started doing the rounds.

A day into the incident, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in a press conference announced the provincial government will conduct an inquiry into the case, whereas the PPP chairman, in a separate conference held only hours later of the CM's, called on the army chief to probe into the matter Sindh Police 'being pressurised'.

On the other hand, the Sindh IGP filed a 30-day leave request to 'overcome the shock' that came with the incident of Capt Safdar's arrest; several senior police officials followed suit.

However, the IGP later deferred his leaves for 10 days and also requested other police officers to also take their leave applications back.