The recent arrest and remand of Raoof Hasan, the Information Secretary of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has sent shockwaves throughout the political landscape. Hasan was taken into custody by Islamabad Police on Monday, allegedly for running anti-state propaganda from the PTI secretariat’s digital media cell. The news has sparked widespread condemnation from PTI supporters and human rights activists, who see this as a blatant attack on freedom of speech and political dissent.
The district and sessions court in Islamabad granted a two-day physical remand of Hasan to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), despite the prosecutor’s request for a 10-day remand. Hasan’s lawyer, Latif Khosa, opposed the remand, arguing that his client was innocent and had done nothing wrong. The PTI party has also condemned the raid and arrest, accusing law enforcers of seizing affidavits from MNAs and MPAs that stand crucial for verifying party affiliations.
This development raises serious concerns about the erosion of democratic norms and the suppression of political opposition in Pakistan. The use of anti-state propaganda as a pretext for arresting political opponents is a dangerous precedent that can have far-reaching consequences for the country’s political stability and democratic future.
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