Asad Qaisar arrested from his residence

PTI condemns arrest, raises concerns about transparency of electoral process

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser was arrested on Friday from his residence in Banigala – days after he appeared to be flexing political muscles in light of the upcoming elections.

In what the PTI views as a burgeoning pattern of targeting its leaders to tame its clout ahead of the electoral race, Qaiser was taken into custody over charges of alleged corruption and "malpractices" in the procurement of medical equipment for a public medical institution located in his home constituency in Swabi.

The arrest was confirmed by Qaiser’s brother, who revealed that the PTI leader was taken into custody from his residence in Banigala, Islamabad.

According to Qaiser's brother, the arrest of the PTI stalwart took place when a group of police officers and individuals in plain clothes raided his Banigala home and detained him.

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However, sources indicated that the former NA speaker was arrested on charges related to corrupt practices in the procurement of medical equipment for Gajju Khan Medical College in Swabi.

It is pertinent to note that Qaiser recently led a delegation of his party paid a visit to the residence of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. Observers said the meeting between the bitter rivals was a “significant development” amid the electoral season.

Qaiser had also recently voiced concerns about the party's current ordeal and expressed his support for the party chief Imran Khan. "We don’t believe in any minus-one formula," he asserted while hoping for a level playing field in the elections.

‘Shameful act’

Meanwhile, the PTI, in a statement released by its Central Media Department, strongly denounced the arrest of Asad Qaisar, describing it as a "shameful" act that coincided with the announcement of the election date.

The party argued that Qaisar's arrest raised concerns about the transparency of the electoral process leading up to the elections.

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The PTI also raised questions about the role of the Election Commission of Pakistan in ensuring free and fair elections and alleged that these actions cast doubt on the electoral watchdog's ability to conduct elections without interference.

Furthermore, the PTI accused the ongoing series of what they consider "unjustified arrests" of their party leaders as part of a deliberate and sinister strategy aimed at marginalising the PTI in the electoral race.

The PTI called on the Election Commission of Pakistan to cease alleged pre-election rigging efforts and ensure a level playing field for all political parties.

The party also announced its intention to challenge Asad Qaisar's arrest in the judiciary.