Vice President of Imran Khan’s Opposition Party Reportedly Arrested in Pakistan
Pakistan’s Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry speaks about violence against women during an interview with The Associated Press, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, July 27, 2021InternationalIndiaAfricaMOSCOW (Sputnik) – Fawad Chaudhry, the vice president of the opposition Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in Pakistan, has been arrested from outside the Supreme Court premises, Pakistani media reported on Wednesday. Chaudhry was arrested late Wednesday night after he came out of the apex court premises after having spent over 12 hours inside the Supreme Court in a bid to evade the arrest, media reported. It was earlier reported that Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the vice chairman of the PTI, and PTI Secretary-General Asad Umar were also arrested in Pakistan. The Pakistani authorities said Monday that former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan had been taken into custody following a hearing of the Islamabad High Court in the Al-Qadir Trust case. PTI called on citizens of Pakistan to gather for mass protests, demanding Khan’s release. Sputnik ExplainsWhat is Known So Far About Pakistan’s Riots Following Imran Khan’s Arrest14:47 GMTOn Tuesday, Pakistan’s authorities said Khan was facing an inquiry by the National Accountability Bureau in the Al-Qadir Trust case, related to a settlement between the PTI government and a property tycoon, which reportedly caused a loss of 50 billion Pakistani rupees ($17.6 million) to the national exchequer. The actions spurred mass protests across the country, with activists setting police vehicles on fire and damaging government property and the police using tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd.