An in depth aide of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan was on Tuesday arrested after pulling a non-public TV channel off air for airing his interview thought-about as seditious and threatening to nationwide safety.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Shehbaz Gill, who can also be a spokesperson of Khan, participated in an ARY News programme on Monday and closely criticised the Shehbaz Sharif authorities for making an attempt to pitch the previous premier in opposition to the Army.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) issued a show-cause discover to ARY News for airing what it known as was “false, hateful and seditious” content material primarily based on “absolute disinformation with a clear and present threat to national security by instigating rebellion within the armed forces”.
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As the discover was issued, the transmission of the channel, recognized for its shut ties with Khan and his get together, started to go off air and at last its operation was suspended.
The suspicion of the channel was adopted by the arrest of Gill.
A spokesperson of the Islamabad police stated that Gill has been arrested for “making statements against the state institutions and inciting the people to rebellion.”
Gill had alleged that the government was trying to provoke the lower and middle tier of the Army against the PTI, claiming that the families of such “rank and file” support Imran Khan and his party “which is fuelling rage throughout the authorities”.
Meanwhile, PTI chairman Khan has termed Gill’s arrest as an “abduction”.
“This is an abduction not an arrest. Can such shameful acts take place in any democracy? Political workers treated as enemies. And all to make us accept a foreign-backed government of crooks,” he tweeted.
PTI vice president Fawad Chaudhry tweeted, “Shehbaz Gill was picked up from Banigala Chowk by unidentified personnel in cars without number plates on them.”
PTI’s former human rights minister Shireen Mazari claimed that the “abduction” of Gill and ARY being taken off air was part of a US regime change conspiracy.
“ARY off screen by this civilian dictatorship Imported govt and now Shahbaz Gill ‘arrested’ or abducted from Bani Gala chowk. So it is clear a critical word and no arrest warrant u will be taken away! This is the grand design of US regime change conspiracy & its abettors,” she tweeted.
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