Sindh CM urges PTI to move high treason resolution against Imran

Provincial assembly condemns violent protests, seeks 'strict action' against miscreants

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been urged to move a high treason resolution under Article 6 of the Constitution against party chief Imran Khan at the Sindh Assembly.

"PTI leaders should move a high treason resolution against their own leader Imran Khan as it was done by MQM lawmakers against Altaf Hussain," said Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah while speaking on a resolution moved in the provincial assembly condemning the violence and attacks by PTI workers in the wake of Imran Khan arrest.

In his policy statement, the CM also assured the House that all perpetrators involved in Karachi violence will be arrested.

"We have taken footage and other evidence," he said stressing that "not a single person involved in the attacks will be spared".

However, he shied away from sharing further details of the government's strategy and further details but said that the government has asked police and law enforcement agencies to initiate a crackdown against the party.

Former PM Imran Khan was arrested on Tuesday by the Rangers paramilitary force from the Islamabad High Court (IHC), over corruption allegations. A day earlier, an accountability court granted the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) his eight-day physical remand.

He was accused of looting Rs50 billion from the national treasury, along with a property tycoon, and getting the Al-Qadir University Trust registered on 450-kanal of land.

Hours after Imran's arrest, the IHC declared that his arrest from the court's premises was carried out legally, while the PTI alleges political persecution.

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Notably, the PTI chief's arrest also came a day after the military warned him against making “baseless allegations” after he again accused a senior intelligence officer of plotting to kill him.

Since Imran's arrest, in the two provinces, Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), at least six people have died of the violence that ensued. Authorities have arrested nearly 1,500 PTI workers and leaders in Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and other parts of the country.

Government buildings and assets were attacked and set ablaze by protesters in many cities in the two days. The authorities said that scores of policemen were severely injured in clashes with the protesters.

In view of the unrest, the federal cabinet approved the deployment of Pakistan Army under Article 245 of the Constitution in Punjab, K-P, and the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) on the recommendation of the interior ministry.

Earlier this morning, the ICT said that PTI leaders, including its vice president Shah Mehmood Qureshi, were arrested for "inciting arson and violent protests under a plan for threatening peace".

A resolution was moved at the Sindh Assembly by Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Ganhwar Isran to condemn the incidents of burning and ransacking of public property in Sindh and other parts of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, MQM lawmakers suggested an amendment to book Imran Khan under Artcile 6, and file a case of high treason against him.

During the session, all PTI stats were empty as no one from the party's camp was present in the session.

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CM Murad Ali Shah while pointing at the desrted PTI seats said, "For me, it's very difficult to lodge a high treason case against a political leader, but we will support if it comes through a PTI lawmkers who being patriotic Pakistani can come forward as MQM's Sardar Ahmed had done against his leader, Altaf Hussain after his hate speech in September 2016."

Chief minsiter also took note of PTI protestors' attack on Lahore Corps Commander Lt-Gen Sal­man Fayyaz Ghani's residence and other millitary installations including General Headquarters (GHQ).

"After TTP and Al Qaeda, PTI has repeated the same mistake attacking the public places and private properties," he said.

The resolution adopted unanimously condemned the violence perpetrated by PTI workers at the behest of their leaders and demanded of the Sindh government to ensure compete protection of people and their properties.

The government was also urged to take strict against anyone one who violates the law.