In a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz, ‘shocked’ President Alvi laments the way Imran was arrested

• President Alvi says he is “shocked” by the video of Imran’s arrest.
• “Video shows the abuse of a former prime minister,” he says.
• “Heartbreaking, regrettable,” he calls the ongoing situation.

In a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Arif Alvi lamented on Thursday the way Pakistani Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan was arrested at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) building.

“I would like to draw your attention to the manner in which Imran Khan was arrested,” the president wrote in the letter two days after the PTI chief was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case, which sparked widespread deadly protests.

“The people of Pakistan and I were shocked when we saw the video of this incident. The video shows the abuse of a former prime minister. Imran Khan is a popular leader and the head of a major political party.”

He further added that law enforcement personnel had entered the Islamabad High Court by force while Khan’s biometric trial was underway.

Earlier, President Alvi also condemned the “heartbreaking and regrettable” situation in which the country has found itself on Twitter.

The president said: “The manner in which some miscreants have damaged public property, particularly government and military buildings, is blameworthy.”

President Alvi tweeted: “I am alarmed, shocked and deeply disturbed by the current situation in the country resulting from the arrest and mistreatment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The loss of life as an aftermath is heartbreaking, regrettable, unfortunate & highly reprehensible .”

He further added that while the right to protest is a constitutional right of everyone, it must remain “within the bounds of the law”.

“Protesting is a constitutional right of every Pakistani citizen, but it must always remain within the bounds of the law.

“The way some miscreants have damaged public property, especially government and military buildings, is reprehensible.”

President Alvi ended his statement by urging stakeholders to seek political solutions and calling on citizens to remain peaceful.

“We need to rethink and look for political solutions, instead of coercion and arrests. I have conveyed my concerns to the political and military leaders and hope that the situation can improve. I urge all citizens of the country to stay peaceful,” the tweet concluded.

It should be noted that according to a statement from the Punjab Police, more than 145 police officers and civil servants have been injured across Punjab, while 69 vehicles used by the Punjab Police were vandalized and set on fire.

In addition, PTI protesters also attacked the General Headquarters (GHQ) and looted the house of the Lahore Corps Commander along with the buildings of Radio Pakistan And APP.

Consequently, 1,386 PTI employees have been arrested in Punjab on charges of vandalism, violence and arson against public and private property.

The violent protests gripping the country come in the wake of Khan’s May 9 arrest from Islamabad High Court by paramilitary forces on behalf of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Al-Qadir Trust case.