Attaullah Tarar accuses PTI of violent politics

An Islamabad court has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi after he repeatedly failed to appear in a case related to alleged misleading statements and defamatory remarks against state institutions. The court observed that the chief minister neither appeared personally nor sent legal counsel despite being summoned on multiple occasions. After noting his continued absence, the judge ordered law enforcement authorities to ensure his appearance at the next hearing. The court also warned that if Afridi fails to appear again on the next hearing, scheduled for September 3, legal proceedings could be initiated to declare him a proclaimed offender under the relevant provisions of law. The case was registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). Investigators allege that the chief minister used electronic media to make misleading statements and defamatory remarks targeting state institutions. In another significant legal development, former senator and senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry has approached the Supreme Court after the Lahore High Court refused to suspend the sentence handed down to him by an anti-terrorism court. Chaudhry is currently serving his sentence at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail. He was convicted over his alleged involvement in meetings held before the violent incidents that followed the events of May 9, 2023. In his petition, Chaudhry argued that the conviction was based on weak and disputed evidence. He maintained that he was not originally nominated in the FIR and that his name was added later through supplementary statements. The petition also stated that no weapons, electronic devices, or other incriminating evidence were recovered from him. The petition further argued that police witnesses failed to present independent evidence linking him to the alleged conspiracy. It asked the Supreme Court to suspend his sentence and grant him bail until his appeal is decided. Meanwhile, Aleema Khan, sister of PTI founder Imran Khan, alleged that her brother was being denied his basic rights in prison. Speaking to journalists outside Adiala Jail, she claimed he was facing mistreatment and said public support would be crucial for securing his release. Aleema said supporters from across the country were expected to participate in the PTI’s planned protest movement. She added that she was not concerned about possible legal action against herself and would continue campaigning for her brother’s release. Another sister of the former prime minister, Noreen Niazi, also criticised the judicial system and expressed hope that Imran Khan would soon be released.

Medical board sources have revealed that injection marks were found on the arm and wrist of one of the two women who died at Township Police Station in Lahore. According to sources, around three and a half hours passed between the time the women were brought to the police station and their deaths. The sources said there was no significant difference in the post-mortem reports of the two women. The exact cause of death, however, has not yet been established. Police sources said the two women were not searched after being brought to the police station. They added that no female police personnel were present when the women were brought to the station. According to sources, both women were brought to the police station following a call made to emergency helpline 15. They reportedly remained seated near the station’s muharrir for around two hours. The muharrir was preparing to send the women to the female lock-up when the situation changed, sources said. Police officials said a case had been registered and the women were subsequently handed over to the investigation wing. They were reportedly being prepared for transfer to jail when both women collapsed. Sources further said there was no CCTV camera installed in the room of the investigation wing where the women were present. Police said female officers assigned to the station were deployed on duty at Data Darbar at the time. Officials maintained that women are searched before being placed in the female lock-up. Meanwhile, medical experts have suggested that the women may have died after consuming or being given a poisonous substance. Experts said the actual cause of death can be determined through forensic examination of samples collected during the investigation. The deaths have raised questions about the circumstances in which the women died while in police custody. Authorities are expected to rely on forensic evidence, post-mortem findings and other available evidence to establish the exact cause of death.