PTI Senator Saifullah Nyazee taken into 'protective custody': Rana Sanaullah

Amid the PTI leaders' claim that Senator Saifullah Nyazee was "picked up" from the Senate's premises, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah confirmed Friday that the Opposition lawmaker was taken into "protective custody" by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for questioning in the foreign funding case. 

"[Senator Saifullah Nyazee] was not appearing for investigation in the foreign funding case. He has been taken into protective custody, so he can be questioned," said Sanaullah during a press conference in Islamabad. 

The minister said legal formalities will be fulfilled before arresting the senator if the agency deemed it necessary.  

Earlier today, sources within FIA told Geo News that the PTI senator was arrested in the foreign funding case.

Sources said he was arrested for the $625,000 transferred to the Insaf Trust account in 2013 against the rules and regulations.

Officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, shared that the senator was arrested outside his home as he was leaving for the Senate session.

However, sources said that an inquiry was already ongoing against the senator and he failed to submit a satisfactory reply on the transferred amount.

They added that the arrest was made after the FIA found proof against the senator.

Prior to Rana Sanaullah's confirmation, the FIA stated that the senator was not arrested as of yet by any wing of the agency.

On the other hand, PTI Secretary General Asad Umar claimed that Senator Nyazee was “picked up” from the premises of the Senate.

The former minister claimed that the “worst kind of fascism” was happening in the country.

Umar made the claims in response to a tweet by PTI leader Iftikhar Durrani.

Durrani, who was a special assistant when Imran Khan was the prime minister, claimed that the senator was ”kidnapped”. He had shared that the senator’s home was attacked previously and some items were taken from him. 

However, the FIA spokesperson dismissed the claim that the senator was "picked up" from the senate's premises.