PTI chairman's arrest is an internal matter of Pakistan: US
Pakistan
Says Washington asks every nation to respect democratic principles and rule of law
WASHINGTON (Dunya News) – The United States on late Saturday declared the sentencing and arrest of the PTI chairman a domestic matter of Pakistan as the State Department commented on the ongoing criminal proceedings against various political leaders.
In this connection, Mathew Miller, the State Department spokesperson, said, “The cases against the PTI chairman and other politicians are an internal affair of Pakistan.”
Like other countries around the globe, the US regularly stressed respect for democratic principles and rule of law, Miller added.
Read more: PTI chief arrested minutes after being sentenced in Toshakhana case, shifted to Attock Jail
The reaction came as a local court sentenced the PTI chairman for a three-year term and a Rs100,000 fine in the Toshakhana case on Saturday – a move that will change the country’s political landscape as the country awaits general elections.
Announcing the short judgement, the court also disqualified him for five years from holding any office and said the detailed verdict would be shared later.
Later, the PTI chief was shifted to the Central Jail Attock.
The court also declared that the PTI chairman was involved in corrupt practices under Section 174 of Election Act 2017 and had submitted a bogus affidavit with the Election Commission, ordering the Islamabad police chief to arrest the convict immediately while issuing the arrest warrants.
Meanwhile, the convict would face another six-month jail term in case of a failure to pay the fine, says the short order issued by the court in Islamabad.
And just over 30 minutes later, senior PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi confirmed that the police had arrested his party chairman from the Zaman Park residence in Lahore.
