ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser was arrested from his home in Islamabad’s Bani Gala area, as confirmed by his brother on Friday.
According to media reports, Qaiser, a dedicated supporter of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, was apprehended by the police and Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) personnel for alleged corruption in the procurement of medical equipment for Gajju Khan Medical College in Swabi.
Sources have indicated that Qaiser is being transferred to Bani Gala Police Station, where he will be handed over to ACE officials. He is also facing allegations of unlawful appointments within educational institutions.
Qaiser’s arrest poses another challenge for the Khan-led party, which is already grappling with legal issues as its top leadership remains incarcerated in various cases.
It’s worth noting that Qaiser led a PTI delegation in a meeting with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman at his residence last month.
“We visited to extend our condolences over the passing of Fazl’s mother-in-law, in line with our cultural norms. We refrained from discussing political matters during the meeting,” stated Qaiser while speaking to the media after the meeting, which had received approval from Khan.
Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi are currently in custody at Adiala jail, facing trial in a corruption case. Imran was initially arrested on May 9 in connection with a graft case, leading to widespread protests by the party across the country that resulted in the targeting of state installations.
The protests escalated to the extent that important military installations, such as the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and Lahore Corp Commander’s residence, were ransacked. As a response, a crackdown was launched against those involved in these events, leading to the arrest of hundreds of party workers and leaders.
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)