Hassaan Niazi, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) focal person on legal affairs and nephew of its chairman Imran Khan, was picked up from outside an Islamabad court on Monday afternoon, according to his lawyer. Niazi was among several PTI supporters booked for causing chaos outside the Judicial Complex in the capital on Saturday as Khan appeared before a judge to face charges he sold state gifts while in office and hid his assets.
Naeem Haider Panjhota, Niazi’s lawyer, said he had been granted bail but was forcefully picked up by the police and taken to the Ramna police station. Qasim Khan Suri, former deputy speaker of the National Assembly, shared a video on Twitter showing the police van in which Niazi was taken. Meanwhile, the Islamabad police have arrested 198 supporters and workers of the opposition party for allegedly attacking law enforcement personnel and vandalising state property on March 18.
The police said that cases had been registered against the protesters, and the identification of all accused was underway with the help of cameras. The police claimed that 58 officers were injured in the clashes, and numerous vehicles and motorcycles were set on fire. They vowed to bring all miscreants involved in the violent acts to justice.—INP
