Karachi police take custody of Hassaan Niazi

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Barrister Hassaan Niazi was shifted to Karachi after being taken into custody by city's police in a case of allegedly inciting the public against the state.

Niazi, who is the nephew and focal person on legal affairs for PTI Chairman Imran Khan, is facing multiple cases including the case of inciting violence, interfering in police affairs, and Zille Shah murder case. The latest case to be registered against the lawyer was of inciting hatred against the state among the public.

The case was registered at Jamshed Quarters precinct on Monday on the report of Muhammad Iqbal in police station Jamshad quarters.

According to the text of FIR, Niazi and his associates incited the people through a social media video. He hurled threats against defence institutions while addressing them, saying that no one will be spared if Imran Khan is arrested, it added.

Sources said that the police were en route to Karachi with the PTI leader. They said that 

Today, Karachi police authorities confirmed taking Niazi into custody saying that the four-member team which took the custody included senior investigation officer (SIO) and three cops.

They said that Niazi would be presented before a court in Karachi after investigations. 

During the previous hearing, the investigation officer had sought Niazi's physical remand for a photogrammetric test, however, the judge approved a two-week judicial remand, rejecting the request for physical remand.

Niazi had initially been detained on March 20 in for allegedly misbehaving with police officials while he was leaving the judicial complex in the federal capital after securing pre-arrest bail in three other cases. 

A local court in Islamabad on March 21 had approved a two-day physical remand of the PTI's focal person on legal affairs. He was then sent to jail on 14-day judicial remand after the expiration of the physical remand.