Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former federal minister Hammad Azhar has been arrested in Multan, according to police sources.
The sources said on Sunday that Azhar was taken into custody in Multan before being handed over to Lahore police for further legal proceedings.
The PTI leader is facing multiple cases linked to the May 9, 2023 riots, when violent protests erupted across Pakistan following the arrest of former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan.
Hammad Azhar arrested in Multan
According to police sources, Azhar was arrested in Multan and subsequently transferred into the custody of Lahore police.
The sources said the former federal minister had been wanted in several cases registered in connection with the May 9 unrest.
Azhar had remained out of sight after being booked in the cases and was declared a proclaimed offender, according to the sources.
Azhar faces multiple May 9 cases
The PTI leader has been named in several cases stemming from the violence that followed Imran Khan’s arrest in May 2023.
Thousands of PTI supporters took to the streets after Khan was arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court in a graft case.
May 9 Attack Case: Shah Mahmood Qureshi Acquitted, Yasmin Rashid and Others Sentenced to 10 Years
During the ensuing unrest, protesters targeted public property and military installations in several cities.
Among the sites attacked were the Corps Commander House in Lahore and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
Hammad Azhar’s role in PTI
Azhar previously served as federal finance minister during the PTI government’s tenure at the Centre.
He also headed the party’s Punjab chapter before resigning as PTI Punjab president in August 2024.
At the time, Azhar cited what he described as a lack of access to Imran Khan in jail and restrictions on his movements as reasons for stepping down from the position.
May 9 riots remain a major legal challenge for PTI
The May 9 violence has remained one of the most significant legal and political challenges facing PTI and its leadership.
The unrest began after Imran Khan was taken into custody from the Islamabad High Court on May 9, 2023.
Protesters subsequently attacked and damaged several civilian and military installations, prompting widespread arrests and the registration of numerous cases against PTI supporters and leaders.
Azhar’s reported arrest adds another senior PTI figure to the legal proceedings stemming from the events of May 9.
