The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has moved the Lahore High Court seeking directions to the police to recover four of its MPAs from the custody of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shehbaz, Pak media reported.
As per reports by Express Tribune, Petitioner Muhammad Sibtain Khan, an MPA from the PP-88 constituency, filed a habeas corpus petition with the court contending their government was wrapped up in the federation following a conspiracy hatched against them on foreign land. He in fact implored the court that in Punjab, the contest for the CM's slot was scheduled to be held on April 3 but owing to the PMLN-PTI scuffle, the House was adjourned till April 6.
In another statement, Khan added that as the PTI members came out of the assembly, they came to know that four of the party's MPAs namely Uzma Kardar, Sajida Yousaf, Ayesha Chaudhry (women seats) and Ijaz Ogastan (minority seat) had been kidnapped by Hamza Shehbaz. "It was not only witnessed by their colleagues but the general public as well," the Express Tribune reported.
Shehbaz Sharif and his son, Hamza, are facing Rs 25 billion money laundering charges in the sugar scandal. The Federal Investigation Agency(FIA) had booked them in the case under sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Act in November 2020.
"The detainees had been kept illegally in a local hotel and that they were being offered incentives, gratification as well as being harassed to vote against the party on whose ticket they were earlier elected", Khan explained further.
"The life and liberty of the detainees have been compromised and there is apprehension they shall be maltreated if not free from the clutches of the respondent," he maintained. The petitioner prayed to the court to direct the CCPO Lahore to recover the 'detainees' so they are set free.
Last year, Sharif and his son were indicted in connection with the Ramzan Sugar Mills case. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had alleged that Sharif misused his post as the former Punjab Chief Minister to build a bridge costing PKR 500 million to facilitate the Ramzan mills.
( With inputs from ANI )
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