Police officials beat, took away former human rights minister Shireen Mazari: daughter

Former human rights minister and PTI leader Shireen Mazari was "beaten and taken away by male police officers", her daughter Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir tweeted on Saturday.

"All I have been told is that Anti-Corruption Wing Lahore has taken her."

Officials of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) confirmed to Dawn.com that Shireen had been taken into custody.

A 'kidnapping'

Outside the Kohsar police station, a visibly distraught Imaan gave a brief statement to the media, in which she termed her mother's detention a "kidnapping".

"She was kidnapped — I won't say she was arrested," she said, standing alongside PTI senior leaders Fawad Chaudhry and Shibli Faraz. "When someone is arrested, the police inform you on what charge [a person] is taken away for," she added.

"I don't know where she is. She has been forcibly disappeared by this government because they think women are soft targets."

She then said: "I won't spare anyone if anything happens to my mother."

She then walked away and said she would let the PTI officials speak.

Meanwhile, former special assistant to the prime minister on political communication, Shahbaz Gill, asked PTI workers to reach the capital's Kohsar police station.

Condemnations

PTI Punjab president Shafqat Mehmood condemned what he termed the "illegal and brutal kidnapping" of the former minister. He also announced that the party would hold a protest at Lahore's Liberty roundabout at 8pm.

PTI leader Farrukh Habib also condemned the detention. "Shireen Mazari was insulted by male police officers and was dragged away and arrested," he said on Twitter. "Officials had also visited her house a few days ago."

Former law minister Babar Awan lashed out at the "shameless and show-off" government for arresting Shireen, saying it was proving that no one was safe.

Journalist Mazhar Abbas tweeted, "Shireen Mazari, the first political prisoner under the present government. Political leaders and governments not ready to learn lesson from the past. I don't agree with all her views but strongly condemned her arrest and humiliation."

This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.