Former Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed grave concerns on Monday over the Pakistani authorities resorting to the use of a "Nazi Germany-era law of kin punishment" against his supporters. He criticized the silence from the Supreme Court as security agencies detained thousands of workers from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in connection with the recent attacks on military installations, which occurred after Khan's arrest in a corruption case last month.
In a series of tweets, Khan lamented, "We are now living in the dark ages. Nazi Germany-era law of kin punishment is being practiced against PTI. How long will the SC (Supreme Court) allow complete violation of fundamental rights of anyone linked to Pakistan's biggest political party?"
He compared the situation to totalitarian states like Stalin's Russia, North Korea, and China during the Cultural Revolution, where similar punitive measures were imposed.
As the crackdown continued, the police on Monday apprehended the father of Hammad Azhar, the former finance minister in the PTI government. Security agencies have been targeting family members of individuals who managed to evade arrest in connection with the riots that transpired on May 9. Authorities claim that Azhar was one of the planners behind the attacks on state installations, and he has been in hiding since then.
Imran Khan strongly condemned the abduction of Mian Azhar, Hammad Azhar's father, from their residence in Lahore. Khan highlighted Mian Azhar's respected political stature in Punjab, being 82 years old and struggling with multiple health issues. In an Urdu tweet, Khan expressed his dismay, stating, "It just goes to show that this fascist regime is devoid of any sense of ethics or morality in its mission to crush PTI." He further warned that such acts, which violate societal values and disrespect women and elders, will only fuel hatred and anger against the current government.
(With PTI Inputs)
