KARACHI – Law enforcement agencies on Wednesday tried to arrest Federal Minister of State for Ports and Shipping Nabeel Gabol after he tendered his resignation.
Law enforcers arrived at Gabol’s house to arrest him, but their attempt was made unsuccessful by his private security guards and other companions.”We have received orders from our high-ups to detain you and shift you to Islamabad,” the head of the police party told Gabol.
The law enforcement agencies later made a second attempt to arrest Gabol, but arrested 12 other people including his son.Gabol told Pakistan Today on the phone that the police party conducted a raid at his house and tried to him.”Raids are being conducted to take me into custody as the police don’t have a search or arrest warrant,” he added.
He said that the police have taken his 12 security guards and son into custody and seized their weapons too during the raid at his house located on Khayaban-e-Ittehad in the Defence area.”My son and companions have been arrested. I am in Karachi, but cannot leave my house,” he added.
Gabol also claimed that the police damaged the tents set up outside his house and also roughed up some visitors.However, when the news about Gabol’s resignation reached his constituency Lyari, hundreds of residents of that area distributed sweets and torched effigies of Gabol. They also staged a protest demanding that Gabol should resign from his National Assembly seat as well.
They chanted slogans in favour of President Asif Ali Zardari and against Gabol.”Jo Zardari ka ghadar hay, wo jail ka haqdar hay (whoever betrays Zardari deserves to be jailed),” they chanted and took out a rally at II Chundrigar Road.
Sources said that Gabol submitted his resignation from the ministry to protest the ongoing search operation by law enforcement agencies in Karachi.
