ISLAMABAD: PTI leader Hammad Azhar, who resurfaced today after nearly a year in hiding, evaded arrest when Islamabad Police arrived at the party’s Central Secretariat on Wednesday.
Azhar was one of several PTI leaders who went into hiding after the May 9 riots last year, which erupted following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan from court premises. He faces multiple legal cases in cities such as Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad, highlighting the extensive legal challenges he confronts.
Earlier today, Azhar reappeared at the Central Secretariat after receiving a message from PTI founder Imran Khan, urging him to "come out of hiding and continue the struggle." The PTI stated that he received this message after an attack on spokesperson Rauf Hassan, who was injured by a group of transgender persons outside a private news channel office.
Azhar claimed he had been receiving threats and that false charges had been filed against him, alleging that he had been wrongfully accused of carrying a pistol and explosives while he was not present at the incident sites.
Shortly after Azhar reappeared, Islamabad police arrived at the party's secretariat to arrest him, but he had already left for Peshawar. Sources informed ARY News that police interrogated the PTI Central Secretariat staff and searched all rooms in the presence of a United Nations delegation.
Azhar also announced his intention to secure pre-arrest bail from the Peshawar High Court (PHC) tomorrow and to appear in courts in Punjab, asserting his innocence and vowing to prove it in court.
