Police officials said they had no information about the reported arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Hammad Azhar, while sources claimed that he was taken into custody in Multan in connection with a case related to the May 9, 2023 riots.
Multan Regional Police Officer (RPO) Usman Akram Gondal told Dawn that he was unaware of any such arrest and had received no information regarding Azhar’s detention.
Reports circulating on social media claimed that Azhar was arrested in Multan and subsequently handed over to Lahore police in connection with a May 9 case.
However, Lahore Investigation Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Muhammad Naveed said he had no confirmation of Azhar’s arrest or of his alleged handover to Lahore police.
The PTI condemned the reported arrest, describing it as an example of “political vengeance and fascism”. The party called for Azhar to be produced before a court immediately if a criminal case had been registered against him and demanded that his fundamental and legal rights be protected.
The party alleged that Azhar had been repeatedly targeted for political reasons and accused the government of using state power to suppress political opponents and silence PTI voices.
Former opposition leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub also claimed on social media that Azhar had been arrested. He condemned the reported move and alleged that it was intended to disrupt the PTI’s planned march on September 27.
Moonis Elahi, son of PTI President Parvez Elahi, also claimed that Azhar had been arrested in what he described as “various false cases”.
Azhar stepped down as president of the PTI’s Punjab chapter for the third time in April 2025. His previous two resignations had been rejected.
He resurfaced publicly on May 22, 2024, nearly a year after going into hiding following a state crackdown on PTI leadership in the aftermath of the May 9 violence.
Azhar had previously evaded arrest when the Counter-Terrorism Department raided the PTI secretariat in Islamabad. At the time, a police spokesperson said he was wanted in three cases registered by Islamabad police, including two with Ramna police and one with the CTD in 2023.
