CNICs of Murad, Swati, Hammad, 15 other POs ‘blocked’

LAHORE: The identity cards of 18 proclaimed offenders, including Pakistan Tehreek Insaf leaders Murad Saeed, Azam Swati, and Hammad Azhar, have been blocked in connection with the May 9 incidents.

The police had sought the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to block the computerised national identity cards (CNICs) of the accused PTI leaders for their failure to appear in the anti-terrorism blocking the identity cards of the proclaimed offenders involved in the May 9 and 10 cases.

The police emphasised that the accused cannot exercise their legal rights without appearing in the anti-terrorism court, and the blocked identity cards will remain inaccessible until the investigation is completed. Among the individuals affected are; Murad Saeed, Azam Swati, Hammad Azhar, Aslam Iqbal, Karamat Khokhar, Ali Amin Gandapur, Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, Musarat Jamshed Cheema, Jamshed Cheema, Zubair Niazi, Malik Nadeem Abbas, and Ghulam Mohiuddin Dewan, according to police sources.In addition to blocking their ID cards, the police have added the names of the accused to the no-fly list.

Meanwhile, NADRA has clarified that the identity card of any PTI has not been blocked. The authority said there has been no order from the court or the Ministry of Interior to block any ID card.