ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi, Thursday deplored the manner in which Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case inside the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises and saying the people have right to protest but they should remain peaceful and within the law.

The president made these remarks in his letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, wherein, he asked the prime minister to ensure that PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s constitutional rights are not violated and that “his life is fully protected”.

“I and the people of Pakistan were shocked to see the video images of the incident which reflect manhandling of a former prime minister who is a popular leader and head of a political party substantially supported by the people of Pakistan. The law enforcement agencies forcibly entered the office where Imran Khan was seated while his biometrics were under process, inside the building of Islamabad High Court,” he said.

He further said that the tragic incident led to mob attacks on public property, including armed forces buildings, and condemned “the heartbreaking, sad and tragic loss of life” that resulted due to the protests.

In his letter, Alvi stated that he and the people of Pakistan were shocked to see the video of the incident which showed “the abuse of a former prime minister”. He added that Imran is a popular leader and the head of a political party that has a lot of support from the people of Pakistan.

“I am worried about the damage to public assets and the illegal actions of miscreants. As a defender of the Constitution and the law, I condemn such incidents,” he added.

“Please do ensure that the constitutional rights of Mr Imran Khan are not violated and his life is fully secured.”

“The manner in which his arrest was carried out tarnished the image of Pakistan in the international community,” the letter stated.

He added that with Imran’s arrest, Pakistan’s enemies have been given an opportunity to mock and portray it as a country that violates the rights of its citizens.

“This kind of incident should not happen to anyone,” the president stated, adding that “justifying such episodes in the past does not make them right today”.

Alvi maintained that “the temperature of increasingly divisive politics must be tempered and stabilised”.

The president also asked the prime minister to keep him informed about the current situation in the country under the Constitution and Rules of Business 1973.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023