Key points:
- Islamabad Police arrested PTI’s Raoof Hasan for leading an anti-Pakistan propaganda cell.
- Computers and items were seized from PTI’s Central Secretariat.
- PTI leaders condemned the raid, attributing it to the “Form-47 government.”
- PTI supporters protested in Lahore, demanding the release of their leaders.
Islamabad police on Monday arrested the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Information Secretary Raoof Hasan from the party’s Central Secretariat. Hasan was taken into custody for allegedly heading a digital media cell involved in running propaganda against Pakistan and its integrity.
Following the reports, police clarified that they only apprehended Hasan during a raid based on substantial evidence following the arrest of PTI spokesperson and Chairman Gohar Khan.
“The PTI digital media centre had become a centre of international disinformation, from where anti-Pakistan propaganda is run throughout the world,” said the police officials.
According to the authorities, only those who were directly involved in anti-national propaganda have been arrested, and all evidence from PTI’s digital media cell was seized. PTI has also confirmed that police confiscated computers and other items from the party secretariat.
The party shared footage on X, showing several police vehicles and officials stationed outside the secretariat. The police sources have rubbished reports of the arrest of four women and the confiscation of additional laptops and documents from the office.
PTI leader Khurrum Sher Zaman labelled the raid at the central secretariat of former ruling party and claimed the arrest was made on instructions of the “Form-47 government”.
“We’ve been informed that they’ve locked staff in a room & waiting for prison van to arrive & have taken computers & important documents”, he wrote on X.
The PTI, on the other hand, protested in Lahore over the release of its arrested leaders and workers. The protest was led by the Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly, Malik Ahmad Khan Bhacher, and also included members from the lawyers’ wing of the PTI and many other supporters.