Maryam Nawaz’s husband arrested amid opposition protests in Pakistan

WION Web Team New Delhi, Delhi, India Oct 19, 2020, 09.46 AM(IST)

Demonstrators during an anti-govt rally in Pakistan Photograph:( Reuters )

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Hours after the rally, Maryam Nawaz, whose party is also a part of this alliance, said police broke their hotel room door and arrested her husband

Calling Prime Minister Imran Khan as "incapable", "clueless" and a "puppet", the opposition alliance in Pakistan sharpened its attack on the incumbent government as they held massive rally on Sunday in Karachi. 

"This incapable and clueless prime minister will have to go home," said Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at the Bagh-e-Jinnah, as quoted by news agency PTI.

The remarks came as 11 opposition parties have formed an alliance: Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to oust PM Khan and is conducting public rallies to gain support. 

Hours after the rally, Maryam Nawaz, whose party is also a part of this alliance, said police broke their hotel room door and arrested her husband.

"Police broke my room door at the hotel I was staying at in Karachi and arrested Capt. Safdar," Maryam tweeted. 

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Zardari also said history has proved the biggest dictators could not survive so "what standing does this puppet have". 

"This is not a new fight but this will be a decisive fight," he added. 

The rally was attended in great numbers by not only the supporters of PPP, but of other opposition alliance parties too. 

It was also held on a day when former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated 13 years ago in 2007. 

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice presidents Maryam Nawaz and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman were among the other leaders who attended the gathering. 

Maryam also slammed Khan saying when answers were demanded from him he described them as "traitors".

"When you (Khan) are pressed for answers, you hide behind the armed forces," she added.