Ali Wazir Arrested After Road Accident Incident in Islamabad
ISLAMABAD: Ali Wazir, a prominent Pashtun rights activist and former lawmaker, was arrested in Islamabad following a road accident that occurred late on Friday near Zero Point. According to Wazir’s aides, two motorbikes collided, one of which struck Wazir’s car. Wazir immediately rushed the injured motorcyclist to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
However, upon arriving at the hospital, Wazir was detained by the police, who had arrived in large numbers, including personnel in plainclothes. On Saturday, Wazir was presented before an anti-terrorism court and remanded into police custody for six days.
Wazir’s lawyer, Attaullah Kundi, stated that the road accident was merely an excuse for the police to detain Wazir, alleging that the former lawmaker had already been implicated in multiple charges, including possessing unlicensed weapons, obstructing police duty, and a road accident. The charges were leveled under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, which deals with endangering life or causing grievous harm.
Despite these accusations, Wazir’s defense team maintains that the charges are fabricated. Wazir has previously spent over two years in prison before being released in February 2023 on various charges. PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen also criticized the arrest, claiming that it was part of a concerted effort to silence Wazir and the PTM’s advocacy for Pashtun rights.
The Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) continues to push for the rights of Pashtun people, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who they say have suffered abuses during anti-terrorism operations. The Pakistani military has denied these allegations.