Reports reveal how Sohail Afridi was taken into protective custody
PESHAWAR: Details have emerged about the reported protective custody of former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Sohail Afridi, Provincial Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, Junaid Akbar and other PTI leaders during a police operation in Peshawar.
According to media reports, the operation began at 12 noon on October 11, when police took Sohail Afridi into protective custody from his room at the Chief Minister’s House.
Reports said Afridi was alone in the room and police had to force the door open. However, official sources claimed that he was neither handcuffed nor placed in a prisoner transport vehicle.
Instead, Afridi reportedly remained in the room with police officers for around 45 minutes, during which he held discussions with them. He was subsequently escorted to a vehicle and taken to a secure location.
During the conversation, a police officer reportedly asked Afridi how far he intended to take the long march.
According to Reports, Afridi replied that the march was not intended to reach Islamabad. He said an understanding had been reached with Maulana Fazlur Rehman and the federal government the previous night regarding demands for a meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan and his transfer to a hospital.
Reports further claimed that Afridi had consulted party leaders and was prepared to announce the end of the long march once he received the relevant instructions.
Police officers also reportedly questioned Afridi about the purpose of amending the Police Act. According to reports, he responded that he had not wanted to amend the law but that the move had been intended to exert pressure.
Meanwhile, KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, Junaid Akbar and Khalid Khurshid were reportedly taken into protective custody from the Speaker’s House.
Reports claimed that Junaid Akbar was found in a storeroom attached to the kitchen.
Reports added that an MPA and a PTI social media official were also taken into custody from the Speaker’s House.
The operation to take the party leaders into protective custody was reportedly completed within two hours.
