Captain (retired) Mohammad Safdar, husband of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice-president Maryam Nawaz, has been arrested by the Karachi police from a hotel in Karachi. Safdar had chanted PML-N’s political slogan “Vote ko izzat dou” (respect the vote) while laying flowers wreath on Quaid-e-Azam Jinnah’s tomb, and the act had prompted criticism from PTI Sindh’s leadership. PTI leaders had approached the police seeking registration of a case against the PML-N leader for breaching the sanctity of the Quaid’s mausoleum. Maryam Nawaz, Mohammad Safdar, Maryam Aurangzeb, and about 200 others were named in the complaint.
Alhumdullillah finally after 10 hours of wait FIR is being lodged against Marium Nawaz, Safdar Awan along with their 200 accomplices for hooliganism at Mazar-e-Qaid. Nobody is above the law in Naya Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/0L8jdmeXit
— Khurrum Sher Zaman NA-241 (@KhurumSherZaman) October 19, 2020
There is a strong opinion among political commentators and analysts in Islamabad that the arrest was made to seek publicity. “The Sindh government has control over its police. There is no question about it. So, you must know who was behind the arrest?” a senior official told GVS.
According to the FIR, a case has been registered on Section 6 (convening of meetings or processions in the mausoleum), Section 8 (entry into the mausoleum with a weapon) and Section 10 (penalty for contravention of provisions) of The Quaid-i-Azam’s Mazar (Protection and Maintenance) Ordinance, 1971.
Read More: High Treason: Should Maulana Fazlur Rehman be tried under article 6?
Legal experts believe that Safdar can be sent to jail for three years after disrespecting Quaid’s mausoleum. However, it is yet to be seen how does the Sindh police deal with the case as many experts are pointing it to be nothing more than an attempt to get popularity.
Police broke Maryam’s room door?
PML-N vice-President claimed that the police broke her room and arrested her husband. “Police broke my room door at the hotel I was staying at in Karachi and arrested Capt Safdar,” Maryam said via tweet.
Police broke my room door at the hotel I was staying at in Karachi and arrested Capt. Safdar.
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) October 19, 2020
According to Maryam, she was sleeping when the police allegedly “barged in”.
I was in the room, sleeping, when they barged in. https://t.co/1gMEHHUnPx
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) October 19, 2020
However, PTI minister Ali Zaidi, refuted her claim, saying “Maryam [is] once again lying that the hotel door was broken.”
Appreciate the quick action taken by IG Sindh against the the hooligans who disrespected Mazar-e-Quaid.
Law must take its course.
Maryum once again lying that the hotel door was broken. Video shows otherwise. Do u see any handcuffs? Does it look like he was arrested by force? pic.twitter.com/7DLHTiw2kA— Ali Haider Zaidi (@AliHZaidiPTI) October 19, 2020
Attempt to defame the Sindh government?
Saeed Ghani, PPP’s senior leader and provincial minister for education, tweeted that while Captain Safdar’s behavior was inappropriate, the way his arrest was carried out was condemnable. He alleged this was being done to create a rift among PDM and that the Sindh government had no role in the arrest.
مزار قائد پر کیپٹن صفدر نے جو کچھ کیا وہ نامناسب تھا لیکن جس انداز میں کراچی پولیس نے گرفتاری کی ہے وہ قابل مذمت ہے۔کیپٹن صفدر کی گرفتاری سندھ حکومت کی ہدایات پر نہیں ہوئی ۔ پولیس کا یہ اقدام PDM کی جماعتوں میں خلیج پیدا کرنے کی سازش کا حصہ ہے جسے ہم ناکام بنائیں گے۔ https://t.co/jfaIBH10Eq
— Senator Saeed Ghani (@SaeedGhani1) October 19, 2020
PPP MPA Sharmila Farooqi said “sloganeering inside Mazar-e-Quaid is inappropriate, but breaking doors & arresting Captain Safdar in this manner is also unacceptable”.
“Sindh government is not a party to this. Clearly a blatant attempt to sabotage the solidarity of PDM and defame Sindh government,” she added.
Sloganeering Inside #MazareQuaid is inappropriate, but breaking doors & arresting #captsafdar in this manner is also unacceptable. Gos is not a party to this. Clearly a blatant attempt to sabotage the solidarity of pdm & defame #sindhgovt
— Dr. Sharmila sahibah faruqui (Phd) s.i (@sharmilafaruqi) October 19, 2020
Attempt to seek public attention or sympathy?
Shahzad Akbar, adviser to the PM on accountability and interior, has reportedly questioned if the Sindh government arrested the former first son-in-law for the publicity?
مشیر داخلہ @ShazadAkbar کا کیپٹن صفدرکی گرفتاری پر @MaryamNSharif سے سوال
سندھ پولیس آپ کے حلیف @BBhuttoZardari کے کنٹرول میں ہے
یا تو آپ کے شوہر کی گرفتاری آپ نے اور آپ کے نئے اتحادی نے پبلسٹی اسٹنٹ کی خاطر کروائی
یا آپ ایک دوسرے کے خلاف ہیں
ان میں کون سی بات سچ ہے؟
— Hassan Ayub Khan (@HassanAyub82) October 19, 2020
On September 5, former premier Nawaz Sharif was booked on treason charges. As per details, some senior leaders of the former ruling party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), have also been booked on the same charges. The case was registered at the ‘PS Shahdara’ on the complaint of a local citizen, Badar Rasheed. PML-N’s vice-President, Maryam Nawaz, former prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Former federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Pervez Rasheed, Khawaja, and Rana Sanaullah were also named in the case.
The federal government was neither on board nor had any information about the treason cases being registered against the Sharif family, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhary said in Hard Talk Pakistan with Dr. Moeed Pirzada aired by the 92 News channel.
Read More: What did Ch. Pervez Elahi offer to Maulana Fazlur Rehman to end protest in Islamabad?