No political leader, candidate detained by authorities: Shaukat Javed

–DIG operations says police only arrested ‘extremists’ to maintain law and order

LAHORE: Punjab Caretaker Home Minister Shaukat Javed on Friday said that neither any political leader nor any candidate was detained by the authorities.

Addressing a press conference along with Caretaker Minister for Finance and Excise & Taxation Zia Haider Rizvi and Provincial Information Minister Ahmed Waqas Riaz here, he said that the caretaker government had no plans to detain any political worker unlawfully, adding that an action would only be taken against those who would violate the law.

The minister said that only passengers and those working at the Lahore Airport could access the airport, adding that the supporters of political parties were only allowed to go up till the Abdullah-Gul Interchange due to security reasons and for maintaining law and order.

Responding to a question regarding the suspension of cell-phone networks, he said the arrangements had been made to counter terrorist activities and avert any untoward incident.

To another question, the home minister said that basically it was National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB’s) responsibility to arrest former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, adding the federal institutions would take action against the convicted at the airport and assistance would be provided to them if demanded, he maintained.

Shaukat Javed said that prominent leaders had been informed about the security threats and have also been asked to take precautionary measures in this regard, as the government had already put in place special measures to ensure security.

Separately, deputy inspector general (DIG) operations said that the police had not arrested any PML-N workers, but it was only “extremists” that had been held.

Reacting to media reports that said as many as 500 PML-N workers, en route to welcome former PM Nawaz Sharif at the Lahore Airport, had been arrested, the police high-up said that “only extremists” had been arrested for the sake of maintaining peace in the city.