Police Raid on Former Punjab Information Adviser Musarrat Jamshed Cheema’s Residence Sparks Outcry

Lahore: Former Punjab Information Adviser and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Musarrat Jamshed Cheema has strongly condemned a late-night police raid on her residence, calling it a violation of privacy and democratic values.
Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Cheema revealed that police conducted a raid at her home during the night, breaching the sanctity of *chadar* and *chaar deewari* — a cultural reference to the respect of personal and domestic privacy.
Criticizing the provincial government, Cheema stated, “In a democracy, when any group protests and damages public property, state institutions respond. But here, even before a protest begins, authorities violate basic rights and storm into homes.”
She accused the current Punjab administration of adopting a dictatorial approach, saying, “Breathing in Punjab has become a crime. The so-called Chief Minister sees herself as a dictator. As a state, we need to wake up.”
Cheema further warned that such authoritarian tactics were eroding human rights, democracy, and civil liberties in Pakistan. She expressed deep concern over the nation’s direction, stating, “Our country is regressing. Youth are becoming disillusioned, and the educated class is being forced to consider leaving the country.”
The incident has added to growing concerns over political freedoms and the treatment of opposition figures in Pakistan.