Pakistan: JUI-F leader arrested for issuing inflammatory statements

As anti-government protests kickstarted in Pakistan, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Mufti Kifayatullah was arrested in the capital of Islamabad on Sunday for allegedly issuing inflammatory statements against the national institution.

JUI-F Deputy Secretary Information Aslam Ghouri has confirmed the news saying that Kifayatullah was taken into custody from Islamabad's Sector E-11, reported Geo News.

The arrest comes as the government struck a deal with JUI-F allowing the latter to conduct a rally to proceed.

According to the agreement, the government will not stand in the protesters' way and "neither will the participants face any difficulty in getting food delivered".

Kifayatullah is the third leader detained in the capital before 'Azadi March' called by JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

Last Monday, police arrested Maulana Shafiq-ur-Rehman and Maulana Muhammad Irshad from Shams Colony and seized banners for the JUI-F sit-in from their possession.

All major opposition parties including the of jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and the Pakistan People's Party of former president Asif Ali Zardari have announced their support.

Fazl has demanded Khan's resignation, alleging that the election held in July 2018 was rigged to help his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.