Quetta police get custody of Hassaan Niazi

Two days after being arrested from Abbottabad, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) incarcerated Chairman Imran Khan’s nephew and the party’s focal person Hassaan Niazi was handed over to Quetta police, confirmed relevant authorities.

Niazi was taken into custody in Abbottabad city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa late on Sunday night, confirmed his father. Taking to X, previously known as Twitter, Hafeezullah Khan Niazi expressed hope that all the legal requirements will be met and the law will not be violated in this case.

It is not known yet in which case Niazi was handed over to the Quetta police.

The police said that Niazi was involved in May 9 riots and attack on sensitive military installations. “Niazi is wanted by the Lahore police for his involvement in the attack on Jinnah House (Lahore's Corps Commander House).”

The riots were triggered almost across the country after the PTI chairman’s arrest in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case on May 9 which led to the deaths of at least eight people and injured several others, prompting the authorities to arrest thousands of PTI workers.

During the protests, the miscreants attacked the civil and military installations including — Jinnah House in Lahore and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.

The military called May 9 "Black Day" and decided to try the protesters under the Army Act. Former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif termed May 9 as the “darkest day in the [country’s] history” and announced to try the suspects in the military courts. The National Security Committee had also endorsed the decision of the top brass to act against rioters under the Army Act.

Imran's nephew is also accused of waving the uniform of security forces during the violent protests, the police said.

After fulfilling all the legal processes, a team of Lahore police will depart for Quetta to bring the accused back to Lahore, the police added.

In March 2023, a local court in Quetta approved the bail application of Niazi. A case against Niazi was registered at the provincial capital's Airport police station on March 18 on charges of inciting violence and interfering with police affairs on the complaint of sub-inspector Abdul Elahi.

He had been handed over to the Quetta police on a one-day transit remand by an Islamabad district and sessions court, which approved his transit remand a day earlier.

Later, Niazi had been presented in the judicial magistrate's court under tight security. After hearing arguments from both sides, the judicial magistrate granted bail to Niazi against surety bonds worth Rs100,000, after which the police escorted Niazi back under tight security.