Hamid was convicted in the case along with several PTI leaders on July 31. According to his brother, he was detained by Islamabad police earlier today while he was on his way to Faisalabad to court arrest.
He was later presented before the court, which issued an order, noting that Hamid had been convicted in the case registered at Civil Lines police station in Faisalabad by then-ATC Judge Javed Iqbal Sheikh.
He was produced before the court today by Inspector Mujahid Iqbal of Civil Lines police station, it added.According to the order, a copy of which is available with Dawn, Hamid was sentenced in the case on multiple counts, with the maximum term being 10 years.
It said that the Faisalabad Central Jail superintendent was required and authorised to receive the convict in his custody for the completion of his sentences in accordance with the law.
“The sentences of imprisonment awarded to the convict for all the offences shall run concurrently,” the order read, adding that the benefit of Section 382-B (period of detention to be considered while awarding sentence of imprisonment) of the Code of Criminal Procedure had been extended in favour of the convict.
Earlier today, Hamid’s brother, Sahibzada Hassan Raza, had said the SIC chief had been detained by Islamabad police while he was travelling to Faisalabad with the intention of surrendering himself before the court.
Police arrested him near a picket on Islamabad bypass road, Hassan said while speaking to the media outside the Faisalabad ATC, where Hamid was produced.
A separate post on Hamid’s X account also cited Hassan as saying that Hamid was detained by Islamabad police as he was en route to Faisalabad.
“He was travelling from Peshawar to Faisalabad to surrender. Islamabad police arrested him,” the early morning post stated.
PTI leader Omar Ayub also posted about the development, saying that Raza was “abducted” from Islamabad late last night.
“Sahibzada Hamid Raza sahib, my dear friend and colleague, has been abducted from Islamabad late last night whilst en route to surrender in the conviction awarded by an anti-terrorism court [in] Faisalabad,” Ayub said, adding that he “strongly” condemned the move.
“Sahibzada Hamid Raza sahib is a brave and very loyal ally of PM Imran Khan (sic). He must be produced immediately in the relevant court,” the PTI leader added.
The development comes just two days after the Peshawar High Court rejected Raza’s plea seeking transit bail in the May 9 riots case which led to his disqualification as a member of the National Assembly by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Violent demonstrations had broken out in the country on May 9, 2023 following the arrest of ex-premier and PTI founder Imran Khan.
Following the riots, thousands of protesters, including party leaders, were arrested. Later, the ECP had also deprived the PTI of its bat symbol, compelling party members to contest the 2024 elections as independent candidates. Subsequently, the PTI had allied with the SIC in a bid to get reserved seats, which are allocated on a party basis.