Jailed ex-PM Imran Khan’s lawyer arrested outside Lahore High Court

Lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat, who is also the senior vice president of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was arrested under a public order ordinance.

Lahore: Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's lawyer and a leader from his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party was arrested on Thursday outside the Lahore High Court where he was attending the lawyers’ strike against the Supreme Court's decision to allow military courts to try civilians allegedly involved in the May 9 violence.

Lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat, who is also the senior vice president of Khan’s PTI, was arrested under a public order ordinance, Punjab police said.

A heavy contingent of police, accompanied by plainclothes men, pounced on Marwat, dragged him from the road and bundled him into a nearby police van.

“Marwat is also wanted in a case in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province and he may be handed over to its police,” they said.

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed the trial of civilians by the military courts, conditionally suspending its October 23 ruling in which it had ordered authorities to conduct the hearing of the cases of more than 100 supporters of Khan arrested for their alleged role in May 9 violence in ordinary courts.

Earlier on October 23, a five-member Supreme Court bench had declared that trying civilians in military courts for their alleged role in attacks on army installations after the arrest of Khan on May 9 was ultra vires of the Constitution.

Khan, 71, has been in jail since August this year charged with multiple cases and convicted in many of them.

The PTI termed Marwat's arrest as “abduction” and “absolutely shameful.” Indirectly chiding the military establishment, the PTI said, “The arrest of Marwat shows the respect for courts in the eyes of those in power. The law is openly flouted by those who are at the helm showing a complete regard to the judicial system of Pakistan. It's time that the judiciary should take notice of this.”

Last week, the KPK police tried to arrest Marwa after he managed to hold a party convention in Bajaur.

Marwat had said the police made a failed effort to abduct him as he was entering Gulabad with approximately 300 officers allegedly involved in the incident.

Marwat came close to Khan after representing him in most of the cases against him after the May 9 incidents of PTI workers’ attack on military installations.

Meanwhile, agencies picked former PTI lawmaker Shujaat Nawaz Anjala from Gujrat district for posting a pro-Imran Khan video clip on his social media account.

A few days ago, Anjala released a video message on his Facebook account claiming loyalty to PTI supremo Imran Khan.

Currently over 10,000 PTI workers and leaders are languishing in jails in different parts of the country after May 9 events.