- Title: PAKISTAN-POLITICS/ARREST Pakistan court remands opposition politician for 90 days
- Date: 27th August 2015
- Summary: KARACHI, PAKISTAN (AUGUST 27, 2015) (REUTERS) PEOPLE AND MEDIA OUTSIDE COURT SIGN ON BUILDING READING (English): "ANTI-TERRORISM COURTS KARACHI, COURT NO II - III, BARRACK NO. 20-A" SECURITY PERSONNEL GESTURING PEOPLE TO MOVE AS WHITE CAR CARRYING DR. ASIM HUSSAIN AND POLICE CAR ARRIVE AT COURT HUSSAIN FLANKED BY HIS LAWYER AND SECURITY PERSONNEL GETS OUT OF CAR AND WALKS TOWARDS COURT PARAMILITARY RANGERS STANDING GUARD SECURITY AND PARAMILITARY RANGERS PERSONNEL ASKING PEOPLE TO MOVE TO LET CARS THROUGH CAMERAMEN FILMING CAR CARRYING HUSSAIN CAR CARRYING HUSSAIN AND POLICE CAR ESCORTED BY SECURITY PERSONNEL DEPARTING
- Embargoed: 11th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Pakistan
- Country: Pakistan
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA9B77HSTMTAP50OQWWLKA6AE2F
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A court in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi remanded prominent opposition politician and former petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussain into custody for 90 days on Thursday (August 27).
On Wednesday (August 26), Pakistani authorities arrested Hussain who was close to former president Asif Ali Zardari. This is the first detention of a major Pakistan People's Party figure in an ongoing military-driven crackdown in the port city of Karachi.
The paramilitary Rangers presented him in the Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) in Karachi under tight security. A senior security official in Karachi confirmed that Hussain was being held but would not say under what charges. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to release the information.
However local media, citing the lawyer for the Rangers said Hussain had been arrested on graft and corruption charges.
The party condemned the arrest of Hussain as politically motivated.
Most of the hundreds of people targeted by paramilitary forces in recent months on accusations of political corruption and violence have belonged to another party, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), which dominates Karachi politics but plays a smaller role on the national stage.
The first high-profile arrest of a PPP figure raised new accusations that Pakistan's powerful military is seeking to strengthen its grip on the country's largest and wealthiest city and weaken civilian parties.
PPP lawmaker Khursheed Shah said these policies will lead to chaos.
The paramilitary Sindh Rangers have in the past said the Karachi crackdown is necessary to break the cycle of violence and corruption in the teeming metropolis of 20 million people.
Karachi accounts for half of Pakistan's national revenues and hosts the stock exchange, central bank and two ports.
It is also a hub of violence, often linked to political rivalry. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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