Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former federal minister Hammad Azhar has been handed over to police on a 20-day physical remand.
The decision was made during a hearing on his physical remand at an Anti-Terrorism Court in Lahore.
Judge Muhammad Akram heard the case and ordered that Hammad Azhar be kept on physical remand for 20 days so that police can investigate the cases against him.
Hammad Azhar was arrested in Multan a day before the court hearing. However, Lahore Police formally recorded his arrest today.
According to a police spokesperson, Hammad Azhar is wanted by Lahore Police in 18 cases. Police also said that he had been in hiding for around three years.
The police are expected to investigate the allegations and cases registered against the PTI leader during the physical remand period.
A physical remand allows investigators to keep an accused person in police custody for a limited period while they conduct an investigation. During this time, police can question the suspect and investigate evidence related to the cases.
The court’s decision means that Hammad Azhar will remain in police custody for 20 days. After the remand period, he will be presented before the court again, where further legal proceedings will take place.
Hammad Azhar is a senior PTI leader and has previously served as a federal minister. He has remained an important political figure within the party.
His arrest comes after several years during which police said they were looking for him in connection with multiple cases.
The police statement said that the former minister had been wanted in 18 cases registered in Lahore. Details of all the cases were not provided in the report.
The arrest and court proceedings are expected to attract political attention because Hammad Azhar is a prominent PTI figure.
PTI leaders and supporters have frequently raised concerns about cases and arrests involving members of the party. Government authorities and police, however, maintain that legal action is being taken according to the law.
The court will review the case as the investigation continues. The allegations against Hammad Azhar will have to be established through the legal process.
The 20-day physical remand gives police time to investigate the cases and collect or verify relevant evidence.
During the proceedings, the court considered the police request for physical custody and approved a 20-day remand.
The police had arrested Hammad Azhar in Multan before bringing him into the formal custody of Lahore Police.
The difference between the initial arrest and the formal arrest means that although he was taken into custody in Multan, Lahore Police officially recorded his arrest in connection with the cases today.
Police have said that the investigation will continue during the remand period.
The case is another development involving a senior PTI leader and comes amid continuing legal and political disputes surrounding members of the party.
For now, Hammad Azhar will remain in police custody under the court’s order. Police will investigate the 18 cases in which they say he is wanted.
After the 20-day period ends, the authorities will have to present him before the court again. The court may then decide the next legal step based on the progress of the investigation.
The development highlights the ongoing legal challenges faced by several PTI leaders. It also shows the role of courts in deciding whether suspects should remain in police custody during investigations.
The final outcome of the cases will depend on the evidence presented and the decisions made through the legal process.
For now, the main development is that Hammad Azhar has been placed on a 20-day physical remand by the Lahore Anti-Terrorism Court.
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