Fearing inquest, Imran’s friends rush out of Saudi Arabia

LONDON: Imran Khan’s close friends Sahibzada Jahangir, Aneel Musarrat and PTI UK President Rana Abdul Sattar left Saudi Arabia on Friday in a rush to avoid questioning by the Saudi authorities on the Masjid-i-Nabvi incident.

Sahibzada Jahangir, who is currently Imran Khan’s adviser on the overseas chapter, PTI donor Aneel Musarrat and his brother-in-law and PTI UK President Rana Abdul Sattar were supposed to return to Manchester from Saudi Arabia on Saturday but they rushed out after bringing forward their return tickets, as news started circulating about their involvement in the harassment incident.

Sahibzada Jahangir was seen present with those PTI supporters who had ‘attacked’ Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb and Shahzain Bugti. A Pakistan journalist from UK, who was present with them, said that Sahibzada Jahangir and others arrived in Madinah in a group of seven from Manchester.

“They were due to leave on Saturday but they rushed out as soon as people started calling on the Saudi authorities to arrest Sahibzada Jahangir and Aneel Musarrat for organising the protest. Out of seven people, only three left in a hurry but the remaining were present in Madinah.”

The journalist, who requested anonymity, said that the hooliganism incident took place around the Iftari time on Thursday. Sahibzada Jahangir, Rana Sattar and Aneel Musarrat left soon after Sehri.

“They were advised to leave at the earliest because people on social media were tagging the Saudi authorities to arrest and question them. Social media was abuzz with pictures and videos of Sahibzada Jahangir and Aneel Musarrat and they got scared at the reaction.”

Remaining members of the group Nabeel Mussarat, Solicitor Amar Alyas and Gohar Jilani are still in Saudi Arabia. Sahibzada Jahangir denied organising the protest but he didn’t deny raising slogans and appreciating the protesters. However, he said he bought tickets with others two weeks ago when Shehbaz Sharif’s visit wasn’t even planned.