A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Tuesday granted a two-day physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Information Secretary, Raoof Hasan, to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in connection with his alleged involvement in disseminating anti-state propaganda.
During the court proceedings, the FIA prosecutor requested the physical remand of Hasan to recover devices purportedly used in spreading anti-state content. The prosecutor emphasized the need to further investigate Hasan’s role in the alleged activities.
The arrest took place a day earlier when Islamabad Police detained Hasan from the party’s Central Secretariat, accusing him of leading a digital media cell involved in running anti-Pakistan propaganda. The police asserted that the PTI digital media center had become a hub for international disinformation, spreading anti-Pakistan narratives globally.
Despite initial reports suggesting the arrest of PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police later clarified that only Hasan was taken into custody during the raid.
The police’s action sparked a strong reaction from PTI, with Chairman Gohar Khan condemning Hasan’s arrest. Accompanied by National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub and former NA speaker Asad Qaiser, Khan vowed to exhaust all available resources to secure Hasan’s release.
The incident follows a previous attack on Hasan in May, where he was assaulted by four individuals, identified as transgender persons, in Islamabad. CCTV footage showed Hasan being approached and engaged in a conversation by one of the attackers before the altercation occurred.
The PTI leadership continues to rally support for Hasan, asserting that they will fight the charges and seek justice for their Information Secretary.
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