PTI condemns alleged torture of lawyer Ali Zaman, brother

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday condemned the alleged assault of Supreme Court lawyer Ali Zaman, a member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Bar Council and a former provincial assembly candidate, along with his brother Wasim Zaman, the deputy general secretary of PTI Peshawar.

In a statement shared on X, it said Pakistan is witnessing a “complete collapse of human rights,” alleging multiple instances of torture involving its members. The party cited Supreme Court Advocate Ali Zaman, former MPA Raja Azhar, and former MNA Fahim Khan, claiming these were three separate cases of torture allegedly carried out by state authorities.

The PTI alleged that state authorities are “openly and disgracefully resorting to torture of citizens,” calling the incidents a serious abuse of power. The party urged the nation to stand up against what it termed systematic violations of fundamental rights.

According to the party, brothers Ali and Wasim Zaman were allegedly abducted from Kachehri Chowk on Tuesday, held in illegal custody for several hours, and subjected to what PTI described as “inhuman torture” before being released.

It alleged that the two were held in illegal detention for several hours, subjected to what it described as brutal and inhuman torture, and later abandoned.

The PTI said the incident forms part of a continuing pattern aimed at pressuring, intimidating, and silencing Imran Khan and leaders, workers, and elected representatives associated with the party.

It questioned the state of the rule of law, stating that if a lawyer and an elected representative who pursued constitutional and legal avenues could not be protected, it raised serious concerns about governance and justice in the country.

The party stressed that political disagreement cannot be addressed through force, handcuffs, or abductions in unmarked vehicles, calling such actions antithetical to democracy and reflective of authoritarian practices.

Noting that the incident allegedly occurred within the jurisdiction of Punjab, PTI held the Punjab government responsible and demanded immediate action against those involved.

The party urged the provincial government to take immediate action against those responsible and appealed to the chief justice of the Peshawar High Court to take urgent notice of the matter.

It emphasised that political disagreements should not be resolved through violence or coercion and reaffirmed its commitment to defending constitutional rights and the public mandate, despite what it described as continued pressure and intimidation.

Read: PTI cries foul on advocate Ali Zaman’s alleged abduction from Rawalpindi

A day earlier, the party had issued a statement on X, saying, “According to reports, Advocate Ali Zaman and his brother have been kidnapped by unknown persons in three unregistered vehicles. We strongly condemn this cowardly act and demand that Advocate Ali Zaman and his brother be immediately rescued and strict action be taken against the elements involved in the kidnapping.”

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan had said Zaman was a member of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council and a Supreme Court advocate.

He said his alleged abduction was “very worrying, condemnable and a clear violation of the law”. Gohar said Zaman was a senior lawyer who was respected and honoured in the legal community, and demanded his immediate release.

Meanwhile, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said, “Journalists, lawyers and every citizen are under the grip of fascism today. Ali Zaman is an elected member of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council and an important part of the PTI legal team. His kidnapping is an attack on the process of getting justice.”

PTI MNAs Junaid Akbar and Asif Khan also said the alleged abduction was a “reflection of the worst lawlessness and law of the jungle”, adding that the incident was “highly intolerable and condemnable”.

They said the protection of lawyers was the responsibility of the state, saying that human rights organisations and the public should immediately raise their voice against the “atrocity”. “This is a very sad and condemnable incident, which shows a serious violation of the rule of law in the country. Unfortunately, the law of the jungle is in force in the country, where the powerful are doing their will and the lives and property of the people are not safe.”

Moreover, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser stated, “The government, which is responsible for the protection of the lives and property of its citizens, but the fake Form 47 government has completely failed to provide security to its citizens.”

K-P Assembly Speaker Babar Swati also said the incident was “not only an attack on the rule of law but also a moment of reflection for the entire justice system”.

He added that “this attack in vehicles without number plates is a reflection of the worst lawlessness. Human rights institutions and the public should not remain silent against this grave atrocity.”

K-P Law Minister Aftab Alam demanded Zaman’s immediate release, saying that the alleged arrest was a “blatant violation of human and fundamental constitutional rights, which cannot be accepted under any circumstances”.

K-P Minister for Local Government Meena Khan Afridi termed the incident a “direct attack on the state writ”.

“I strongly condemn this brutal and cowardly act!! Ali Zaman is a powerful, effective and fearless voice against the system of oppression, hypocrisy and fascism, who has always stood firm in front of this oppressive system and has been speaking the truth.

“Targeting lawyers is actually taking the entire justice system hostage. If the lawyers themselves become unsafe, then there is no guarantee of justice for the common citizen,” he said.

The minister demanded human rights organisations, civil society and political activists to raise an immediate and effective voice against “this oppression and to expose these unknown people and bring them to justice”.

Later on Tuesday, PTI-affiliated accounts said that he was released but no official account or personnel confirmed it at the time.