Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s adviser and columnist Irfan Siddiqui was sent to Adaila Jail on Saturday after a local magistrate granted his 14-day judicial remand over failing to get his (Siddiqui’s) tenant registered with the local police station.
Ramna police has taken custody of Siddiqui from his house in wee hours of Friday under the charges that he didn’t turn up before police to provide required information of his tenant. Capital police has been reported to shift Siddiui to Criminal Investigation Agency (CIA) police station after being kept at the Ramna police station of Islamabad for some time. Ramna police registered FIR 243/19 under Section 188 of The Pakistan Penal Code at 10 pm on Friday. On Saturday morning, handcuffed Siddiqui was produced before the court of judicial magistrate where police sought the accused physical remand, however, the magistrate sent Siddiqui to Adiala Jail on a 14-day judicial remand.
Later, the counsel for Siddiqui filed bail application but the court has decided to hear the plea on July 29 (Monday).
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb on Saturday denounced the First Information Report (FIR) filed against Irfan Siddiqui and termed it “fake”. As Siddiqui was sent to the Adiala Jail on a 14-day judicial remand by a magistrates’ court, Aurangzeb spoke to the media and claimed that the house over which the case has been registered against Siddiqui did not belong to him. “No signature or name of him is present on the rental agreement,” she said, adding that he was arrested at 2am and handcuffed while being produced in the court.
“Will arresting N-League leaders reduce inflation [in the country]?” she asked, adding why Aleema Khan and Jahangir Tareen were not being arrested. She praised Siddiqui by stating that he had raised his voice for democracy and supported the cause of Nawaz Sharif. “He is a longtime partner of Nawaz Sharif,” she said.
On the other hand, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan on Saturday expressed reservations over the arrest of Irfan Siddiqui.
In a statement, she said that she had called for the FIR copy and the matter would further be inspected. She maintained that the tenancy law was made by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and it implements equally on all citizens. She said there are some questions regarding the tenants to whom Irfan Siddiqui rented out his house. It is necessary for the owner to inform the relevant police station while giving the house on rent, she said. Firdous Ashiq Awan affirmed that Irfan Siddiqui and his family should not be treated unjustly. Referring to Irfan Siddiqui’s profession, the SAPM said the PTI-led government respects the noble profession of teaching and has no policy of covert actions. It is our mission to make all institutions independent but the process will require some time, she concluded.
