Ali Muhammad arrested for fifth time after release

MARDAN (Agencies): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Muhammad Khan was re-arrested on Friday right after being released on the orders of the Peshawar High Court (PHC). The PTI leader’s counsel apprised journalists that the current arrest was made under corruption charges and he was subsequently transferred to the Toru police station.
On Thursday the PHC had ordered Khan’s release after hearing a petition against his arrest under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) after nationwide protests broke out on May 09 following the PTI chief’s arrest. On Friday relief came in a case related to terrorism charges. However, the court had observed that Khan may be arrested again if he was wanted in any other cases.
The former minister of state was arrested again as soon as he left the court premises. Khan has so far been arrested five times in different cases. Earlier, as Khan appeared before the court he told reporters that his party’s chief “has always subscribed to a peaceful political struggle and stood by the rule of law”. Expressing his commitment to face all charges, Khan expressed hope that in the end “the law will win”. “Whoever participated in the May 9 incidents should be brought to justice,” he said, “but issuing a charge sheet against the entire PTI is unfair.”
“The PTI is a central party with a vote bank in all four provinces,” he added, stressing that his party “does not stand by the May 9 miscreants”. “The country suffered on May 9,” he admitted, but regretted that the incidents “are being used to sideline the PTI” which he held was “inappropriate”. Khan also remained determined that the PTI will once again succeed in forming a government, stressing that “this party is the outcome of a two-year long struggle”.
A number of PTI legislators had parted ways with the party after the government held the PTI chief responsible for the riots that broke out across the country following his arrest in a graft case on May 09. Protesters had attacked the government infrastructure as well as the military installations and also vandalised the GHQ and Lahore corps commander’s residence. Notably, as many as 100 former PTI members of the national and provincial assemblies have joined the new party, the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, joining forces with senior politician Jahangir Khan Tareen.