Armed men free nominated property tycoon from CTD custody

In a high drama — which exposed the capability, competence and preparedness of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Islamabad police — armed men freed a nominated property tycoon from their custody while he was being driven to a police station in the federal capital after his arrest.

Sources said that Asim Aziz, who owns a private housing society in Rawalpindi, was earlier booked by the Islamabad police under terror charges after he stormed the judicial complex along with his armed men during the court appearance of former prime minister and PTI chief Imran Khan.

According to the sources, the CTD Islamabad team tracked Aziz near the Airport Police Station in Rawalpindi and arrested him. While he was being transported to Islamabad in a police van, when all of a sudden 20 armed men waylaid the police party, challenged them and attempted to take away their guns before taking the nominated suspect with them while brandishing sophisticated weapons in the air.

The Airport police registered a case on the application of CTD Islamabad officer Sajid Butt. Butt told the Airport police that they had gone to a private housing society to arrest Asim Aziz, who was nominated in a case. He said that the CTD was transferring him to Islamabad when suddenly 20 armed men in vehicles intercepted the police vehicles near the old airport Rawalpindi and blocked the way. He said that the armed men took keys from the government vehicles, threatened and tore the uniforms of ASI Fawad Khalid and Hashim and tried to take away their weapons.

 He said that due to the rush and traffic on the highway, the CTD team did not use weapons. Meanwhile, the armed men manhandled the police team and freed the accused Asim Aziz, shifted him to a car and fled.

The Islamabad police had booked Asim Aziz on charges of vandalism, hurling life threats to Islamabad police officers and officials who were on duty during the court appearance of Imran Khan

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2023.