Police arrest Raoof Hasan for 'running anti-Pakistan digital media cell'

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Police on Monday arrested Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) Information Secretary Raoof Hasan from the party's Central Secretariat for heading a digital media cell allegedly involved in running propaganda against Pakistan and its integrity.

After reports pertaining to the arrest of the PTI spokesperson and Chairman Gohar Khan surfaced, the capital's police clarified that they only arrested Hasan during a raid "on the basis of evidence".

"The PTI digital media centre had become a centre of international disinformation, from where anti-Pakistan propaganda is run throughout the world," said police.

Meanwhile, Gohar said he went along with Hasan to the Police Lines, however, the police said since the PTI chairman was not wanted in any case, he could leave. He said Hasan was detained in the Police Lines.

Police said those directly involved in the anti-national propaganda were arrested and all the evidence from the PTI’s digital media cell was taken into custody.

The party, in a statement on X, said: "It’s absolutely shameful how Islamabad Police continues to completely mock and disregard every law in this country. Law of the jungle is reigning over Pakistan!”

PTI said police took a computer and some other equipment into custody as well from the party secretariat.

Footage shared by the party on X shows numerous police vehicles and some police officials outside its secretariat.

Police sources denied the report of the arrest of four women as well as the confiscation of a laptop and documents from the office.

Condemning the raid at the former ruling party’s central secretariat, PTI leader Khurrum Sher Zaman 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.

Adviser to Chief Minister on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said the arrest of PTI leaders proved that the "government was taking its last breaths".

The federal government had broken all records of fascism and had even resorted to underhanded tactics, he said, adding that they were not scared of them.

"The struggle for true democracy and to ensure the rule of law will continue," said Saif.

Meanwhile, the PTI held a demonstration in Lahore, demanding the authorities release its leaders and workers.

PTI lawyers wing and other supporters participated in the protest, led by Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmad Khan Bhacher, in droves. 

Dozens of workers and leaders of the embattled party are behind bars following last year's May 9 attacks, which ensued after PTI founder Imran Khan was arrested in a graft case.

Imran, 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician, has been in prison for almost a year now in three cases — the Toshakhana case, cipher case, and the un-Islamic marriage case. His wife, Bushra Bibi, is also behind bars.

However, a court suspended his sentence in the Toshakhana case, while other courts overturned his convictions in the cipher and iddat cases, respectively.

While there were hopes for his and Bushra's release in July, they were dashed when the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested them on fresh charges related to the sale of state gifts.