PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday said that the arrest of Member of National Assembly from South Waziristan Mohammad Ali Wazir a day earlier was the act of a "fascist" government.
“It has been the modus operandi of the fascist governments to implicate the elected representatives in false cases to crush the public voice,” the PPP chairman was quoted as saying in a statement from the party.
Bilawal said that the arrest of the MNA in such a manner is “against the democratic traditions”.
Wazir was taken into custody a day earlier in Peshawar, with Sindh Police facilitating the arrest. Central City Police Office Peshawar Ali Amin Gandapur said that a case has been registered against Wazir in Karachi over "hate speech".
A case has been registered against Wazir, Manzoor Pashteen, and MNA Mohsin Dawar at Karachi's Sohrab Goth police station on the government's complaint.
The case was registered on December 7 after Wazir and others had addressed a public rally held at Karachi's Sohrab Goth on December 6.
Read more: Peshawar police arrest MNA Ali Wazir
Bilawal said that holding public meetings is “no crime” and did not warrant arresting an elected representative.
He said that cases registered against the elected representatives and political leaders are “baseless”, warning that if the regime “continues to muzzle freedom of expression”, it will “not bring good results”.
“The selected government is trying to eliminate democratic voices by adopting fascist tools,” he added.
Saleem likely to replace Governor Baligh in Punjab; Kundi to succeed Haji Ghulam Ali in KP
Over 2,000 Pakistani pilgrims to fly for Saudi Arabia via 11 special flights on May 9
Police have launched a search operation to arrest the assailents, say DPO
Bilawal prefers Saleem over Qamar Zaman Kaira, Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood and Chaudhry Riaz
President Zardari also okays proposal of law ministry on advice of PM Shehbaz
PTI leader says dialogues will be centred on PTI founder and political prisoners' release, not to strike any "deal"