QUETTA: A local court in the provincial capital handed over Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan's nephew Hassaan Niazi to Punjab police for a seven-day transitory remand.
Niazi, who is a barrister and PTI leader, had been arrested by the Quetta police under Section 3 of the MPO (Maintenance of Public Order) late Saturday, hours after being granted bail.
He had been apprehended for attacking police officers and causing chaos near the Judicial Complex in G-11, Islamabad.
Today, during a hearing at the judicial magistrate's court in Quetta, the PTI leader was summoned to the judge's chamber and later given into Punjab police's custody, who had sought his transitory remand to present him in a Lahore court.
The Punjab Home Department had made a request via a letter to the government of Balochistan for Niazi's custody following his arrest last night.
The letter stated that Niazi had been booked in an attempted murder case registered in Race Course precinct in Lahore. At this, the Balochistan government released orders for handing over Niazi to Punjab police.
The Balochistan Home Department directed the police to fulfil all the legal requirements and make arrangements for foolproof security for the transfer of PTI leader.
The Balochistan police team had taken Niazi into custody from outside the Judicial Complex in Islamabad and transferred him to Quetta. He had been arrested after a judicial magistrate in Quetta granted him bail against a surety bond worth Rs100,000, following a bail plea filed by the PTI's lawyer forum earlier in the day.
Although the officials of the PTI's lawyer forum were outside the jail, Niazi hadn't been released and instead transferred from jail to the Saddar police station.
On March 18, the Quetta Airport police station had filed a case against Niazi on charges of inciting violence and interfering with police affairs, based on a complaint by Inspector Abdullah.
The complaint stated that while on patrol, the sub-inspector received information that 150 people, including Inayatullah Kakar and others, had blocked Chaman Road in Quetta. Despite the police's attempts to disperse them, the demonstrators blocked the road for one hour.
It should be noted that Niazi was not named in the FIR by the Quetta police.
Niazi's arrest is part of an ongoing crackdown on PTI workers who the police claim have assaulted law enforcement personnel while they were performing their duties in Islamabad.
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