PTI cries foul on alleged abduction of advocate Ali Zaman

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday condemned the alleged abduction of Advocate Ali Zaman from Rawalpindi by unidentified men, saying the issue raised concerns over law and order and the safety of public representatives.

“According to reports, Advocate Ali Zaman and his brother have been kidnapped by unknown persons in three unregistered vehicles. We strongly condemn this cowardly act and demand that Advocate Ali Zaman and his brother be immediately rescued and strict action be taken against the elements involved in the kidnapping,” said a statement issued by party’s central information department on X.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said Zaman was a member of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council and a Supreme Court advocate.

He said his alleged abduction was was “very worrying, condemnable and a clear violation of the law”. Gohar said Zaman was a senior lawyer who was respected and honoured in the legal community, and demanded his immediate release.

“Journalists, lawyers and every citizen are under the grip of fascism today. Ali Zaman is an elected member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council and an important part of the PTI legal team. His kidnapping is an attack on the process of getting justice,” said PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja.

PTI MNAs Junaid Akbar and Asif Khan said the alleged abduction was a “reflection of the worst lawlessness and law of the jungle”, adding that the incident was “highly intolerable and condemnable”.

They said the protection of lawyers was the responsibility of the state, saying that human rights organisations and the public should immediately raise their voice against the “atrocity”.

“This is a very sad and condemnable incident, which shows a serious violation of the rule of law in the country. Unfortunately, the law of the jungle is in force in the country, where the powerful are doing their will and the lives and property of the people are not safe.

“The government, which is responsible for the protection of the lives and property of its citizens, but the fake Form 47 government has completely failed to provide security to its citizens,” said PTI MNA and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser.

K-P Assembly Speaker Babar Swati said the incident was “not only an attack on the rule of law but also a moment of reflection for the entire justice system”.

He further said that “this attack in vehicles without number plates is a reflection of the worst lawlessness. Human rights institutions and the public should not remain silent against this grave atrocity.”

K-P Law Minister Aftab Alam demanded Zaman’s immediate release, saying that the alleged arrest was a “blatant violation of human and fundamental constitutional rights, which cannot be accepted under any circumstances”.

K-P Minister for Local Government Meena Khan Afridi termed the incident a “direct attack on the state writ”.

“I strongly condemn this brutal and cowardly act!! Ali Zaman is a powerful, effective and fearless voice against the system of oppression, hypocrisy and fascism, who has always stood firm in front of this oppressive system and has been speaking the truth.

“Targeting lawyers is actually taking the entire justice system hostage. If the lawyers themselves become unsafe, then there is no guarantee of justice for the common citizen,” he said.

The minister demanded human rights organisations, civil society and political activists to raise an immediate and effective voice against “this oppression and to expose these unknown people and bring them to justice”.

“This culture of disappearing people cannot continue. It is a stain that will be very hard to forget. Ali Zaman must be released now,” said former K-P finance minister Taimur Saleem Khan Jhagra.

Akbar posted a video on X of a protest in Peshawar for Zaman’s release.

PTI leader Irfan Saleem also called on workers and supporters to reach Assembly Chowk to protest against the alleged abduction.

PTI-affiliated accounts later said that he was released but no official account or official confirmed this as of yet.