ISLAMABAD: As candidates of all other major political parties in the federal capital were flexing muscles for Thursday’s elections, candidates of PTI spent their entire day on Wednesday in courts either seeking pre-arrest bail for themselves or their supporters.

Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamir Farooq granted pre-arrest bail to PTI candidate from NA-46, Amir Mughal, and restrained po­­­l­ice from harassing him. He petitioned the IHC against his alleged harassment.

Other two candidates of PTI contesting polls from NA-47 and NA-48, namely Shuaib Shaheen and Mohammad Ali Bu­­k­h­ari, appeared in different cou­rts to seek release of their supporters and final­­ly succeeded in their efforts.

Both Shaheen and Buk­hari, last week secured their pre-arrest bail and restraining orders against their arrest.

Since both the candidates are lawyers, they filed petitions in the courts for rele­ase of their supporters and managed to get all of them released.

Meanwhile, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir of IHC took up a petition against arrest of PTI candidate Raja Nasir from Punjab Assembly’s constituency PP-11.

Rawalpindi police arrested Mr Nasir, brother of former law minister of Punjab Raja Basharat.

Justice Tahir warned of suspending the election in PP-11 and summoned officials of the ECP and Islamabad police.

The Islamabad police informed him that Mr Nasir has been arrested by Rawalpindi police. The judge summoned the CPO of Pindi and appointed assistant inspector general as bailiff for recovery of Mr Nasir from the Rawalpindi police.

The AIG produced Mr Nasir at 11:30pm. However, Mr Nasir sought withdrawal of the petition saying he was not interested in pursuing the case. Subsequently, the court dismissed the case.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2024