PTI's Ali Muhammad Khan, Ejaz Chaudhry arrested as crackdown intensifies

• Ali Muhammad Khan, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry arrested by police under Section 3 MPO.
• PTI leader Ali Muhammad was taken into custody while on his way to Supreme Court.
• PTI leaders are being detained amid violent protests against former PM Khan's arrest. 

ISLAMABAD: Amid the ongoing crackdown on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders in the wake of former prime minister Imran Khan’s arrest, party leaders Ali Muhammad Khan and Senator Ejaz Chaudhry have been arrested from Islamabad.

The Islamabad police said in a statement on Thursday that the party leaders were taken into custody under Section 3 Maintenance Public Ordinance (MPO).

Ali Muhammad Khan was arrested as he was heading towards the Supreme Court, where the hearing against Imran Khan’s arrest was underway.

The latest arrests came a day after PTI leaders Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry were taken into custody while Shah Mahmood Qureshi was detained earlier today under the same act.

PTI leaders are being detained by law enforcers in a bid to contain the countrywide violent protests sparked by the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan.

Earlier today, an Islamabad Police spokesperson confirmed that scores of PTI leaders, including Qureshi, Umar, Fawad, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema, Falak Naz Chitrali, Mussarat Jamshed Cheema, and Maleeka Bukhari were arrested.

“All arrests were carried out after completing the legal requirements,” the spokesperson said, warning that more arrests are expected.

Qureshi, who is second-in-line to Khan, was arrested by the police in cases of riots and arsons in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, police sources said.

However, before his arrest, the PTI leader encouraged party workers to continue their struggle for true freedom in the country.

GB CM under house arrest

PTI-backed Gilgit Baltistan Chief Minister Khalid Khursheed has been put under house arrest at his official residence in Islamabad in view of the prevailing tensions in the country, sources told Geo News.

The insiders added that a complete ban has been imposed on the GB CM’s movement while the region’s home minister and other cabinet members were also under house arrest with the chief minister.

Sources said the Federal Interior Ministry warned the GB CM against misusing his powers and accused him of giving directions to the PTI workers.

They said CM Khursheed was also offered to return to the region by the federal interior ministry and added that Islamabad police also attempted to arrest him earlier today.