PML-N activists protest Amir Muqam’s son arrest

PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers on Tuesday protested the arrest of the son of the party provincial president Amir Muqam and demanded his immediate release.

The workers gathered outside the Hayatabad Judicial Complex and chanted slogans against the government after accusing it of victimizing the political opponents.

The protesters including former and incumbent lawmakers, councillor and nazimeen burned tyres to register the protest. Addressing the protesters, MNA Dr Ebadullah and chairman standing committee on communication, said the PTI-led government had started victimizing the political opponents but it should know that the PML-N leadership and workers could not be pressurised through such negative tactics.

He said his party was not against accountability but it should be across-the-board. “The FIR against Ishtiaq Ahmad, the son of Amir Muqam and his cousin Muhammad Ali, and their arrest was part of the tactics to pressurise and force Amir Muqam to part ways with Nawaz Sharif but [Prime Minister] Imran Khan should know that Amir Muqam and his family will remain loyal to Nawaz Sharif and would not leave him or the party,” he added. He said why the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and FIA officials were not taking action on corruption in the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and billion tree tsunami projects.

“Why have they shut eyes on the corruption of the PTI leadership?” he posed a question. The NAB and FIA should take action against money laundering allegedly by Aleema Khan and embezzlement in donation and Zakat money, he added. Dr Ebad said those surrendering the country’s sovereignty to IMF were arresting the opposition leaders and their wards to divert public attention from the sellout package. He asked Minister for Communication Murad Saeed to stop political mudslinging to appease Imran Khan.

He said the government had made life miserable for the people through the worst type of price hike.

However, he said days were not far away when those embezzling Zakat and donation money would be made accountable and people would throw them out of power. The FIA produced Ishtiaq in the anti-corruption court.

Ishtiaq along with his cousin Muhammad Ali was arrested by FIA on Monday on the charges of misappropriation of funds and delay in construction of a road in Shangla.