Police conduct raids in Karachi to arrest Abidi

KARACHI: An Islamabad police team is conducting raids in Karachi to apprehend former Pakistan People’s Party senator Faisal Raza Abidi after his arrest warrant were issued by the court a week ago.

The capital police have registered a case against Abidi for using derogatory and defamatory language against Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar. The case was registered at the Secretariat police station under PPC’s sections 228, 500, 505(ii) and 34 read with the ATA 1997 on a complaint lodged by Supreme Court Public Relations Officer Shahid Hussain Kambyo.

The police team, led by a deputy inspector general of Islamabad police, is carrying out raids at different places to arrest Abidi for last two days but his whereabouts couldn’t be located.

According to the FIR, in a video, which vent viral on social media, outspoken Abidi allegedly used contemptuous, and threatening language against state institutions. The former senator has been accused of leveling accusations against individuals holding the highest constitutional posts.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court had directed the police to ensure that former senator Faisal Raza Abidi appears in the court in a contempt of court case.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, gave this direction after Abidi’s failure to appear in court despite summons.

The judges were informed that the anchor and producer of the program wherein anti-judiciary remarks were aired have been fired from their jobs.

“The channel should be ashamed,” the chief justice remarked, adding that such channel should be taken off air. Where is Faisal Raza Abidi who used abusive language”, he asked.

“Didn’t you watch the program before airing it,” the top adjudicator asked the chief executive officer (CEO) of the channel who was present in court.