ISLAMABAD: Former Human Rights Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shireen Mazari has been arrested from Islamabad by Punjab’s anti-corruption department, several media outlets reported on Saturday.
In a statement, the Islamabad police said that Shireen Mazari was booked in a property case registered in Dera Ghazi Khan. The former minister has been shifted to DG Khan from Islamabad’s Kohsar police station.
In footage of her arrest, Shireen could be seen being dragged out of a car by female police personnel while she could be heard protesting: “No. Don’t touch me.” Police officials could be heard telling Mazari that “there is no issue” and the matter could be discussed “peacefully”.
Taking to Twitter, her daughter Imaan Zainab Mazari claimed that the former minister was “beaten and taken away by male police officers”. “All I have been told is that Anti-Corruption Wing Lahore has taken her,” she added.
Male police officers have beaten and taken my mother away. All I have been told is that Anti Corruption Wing Lahore has taken her.
— Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (@ImaanZHazir) May 21, 2022
However, Islamabad police disagreed with Mazari’s daughter, saying: “Dr Shireen Mazari was arrested by female police officers as per the law on the request of the anti-corruption department. News of any mishandling is baseless.”
The development was also confirmed by PTI’s Iftikhar Durrani on Twitter, saying: “Dr Shireen Mazari has been picked up outside from her house a while ago, everyone must reach Police Station Kohsaaar!”
Dr @ShireenMazari1 has been picked up outside from her house a while ago, everyone must reach Police Station Kohsaaar!
— Iftikhar Durrani (@DuraniIftikhar) May 21, 2022
‘Kidnapping’
Talking to journalists outside the Kohsar police station, Imaan Zainab Mazari termed her mother’s detention a “kidnapping”. “She was kidnapped — I won’t say she was arrested,” she said, standing alongside PTI leaders Fawad Chaudhry and Shibli Faraz.
“When someone is arrested, the police inform you on what charge a person is taken away for,” she said.
“I don’t know where she is. She has been forcibly disappeared by this government because they think women are soft targets,” Imaan said, adding: “I won’t spare anyone if anything happens to my mother.”
For his part, Fawad Chaudhry agreed with Imaan’s characterisation of the detention being a kidnapping. “This is an abduction. We don’t know about her whereabouts. This is a grave human rights violation,” he added.
The former information minister added that the manner in which this government picked up a woman and “subjected her to violence and tore her clothes and the inhumane way she was taken is condemnable”.
“Mazari is a respected academic and is well known for her services to human rights”, Chaudhry said. “This is declaration of war by the government, and if that is the case, it’s a declaration of war from our end as well. Now if there has to be a fight then it will be a fight,” he added.
Politicians, journalists condemn Mazari’s detention
In response to the incident, former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan said Mazari was “violently abducted from outside her house by this fascist regime”.
The PTI chairman noted that Mazari was strong and fearless and if the “imported government” thinks it can coerce her by this “fascism, they have miscalculated!”
The ex-premier claimed the PTI’s anti-government was peaceful but alleged that “this fascist imported government” wants to push the country towards chaos.
“As if sending the economy into a tailspin wasn’t enough, they now want anarchy to avoid elections. Today we will protest and tomorrow after CC meeting. I’ll announce our long march,” he added.
Our movement is completely peaceful but this fascist imported govt wants to push the country towards chaos. As if sending the economy into tailspin wasn’t enough,they now want anarchy to avoid elections.
Today we will protest and tmrw after CC meeting I’ll announce our Long March— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 21, 2022
PTI Punjab president Shafqat Mehmood has strongly condemned the “illegal and brutal kidnapping” of the former human rights minister. He also announced that the party would hold a protest at Lahore’s Liberty roundabout at 8pm.
Strongly condemn the illegal and brutal kidnapping of Dr Shireen Mazari. She was manhandled and mistreated which is shameful. There will protest against this arrest in Lahore. Everyone to reach liberty roundabout at 8
— Shafqat Mahmood (@Shafqat_Mahmood) May 21, 2022
Farrukh Habib also condemned the detention, saying: “Shireen Mazari was insulted by male police officers and was dragged away and arrested. Officials had also visited her house a few days ago.”
Former law minister Babar Awan lashed out at the “shameless and show-off” government for detaining Shireen, saying it was proving that no one was safe.
PPP Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar strongly condemned the incident and said the detention was “deplorable and the worst form of political oppression”. “Things never seem to change in the land of the pure,” he said.
Things never seem to change in the land of the pure. Shireen Mazari is my neighbour & a dear friend. Her arrest is deplorable and worst form of political oppression. People who hav gone through it themselves & have cried foul in the past why would they indulge or turn blind eye?
— Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar (@Mustafa_PPP) May 21, 2022
Journalist Mazhar Abbas tweeted, “Shireen Mazari, the first political prisoner under the present government. Political leaders and governments not ready to learn lesson from the past. I don’t agree with all her views but strongly condemned her arrest and humiliation.”
Shireen Mazari the first political prisoner under the present government. Political leaders and governments not ready to learn lesson from the past. I don’t agree with all her views but strongly condemned her arrest and humiliation.
— Mazhar Abbas (@MazharAbbasGEO) May 21, 2022
Meanwhile, former special assistant to the prime minister on political communication, Shahbaz Gill, asked PTI workers to reach the capital’s Kohsar police station.
تمام ورکر تھانہ کوہسار پہنچیں۔ شریں مزاری کو ان کے گھر کے باہر سے گرفتار کیا گیا ہے۔
— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) May 21, 2022
