Bhimber, August 3, 2025: Former Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi was arrested on Sunday, just a day before the party’s planned nationwide protests on August 5.
According to police sources, Niazi was detained while traveling from Samani to Bhimber in Azad Kashmir. His arrest is reportedly linked to cases stemming from the events of May 9, 2023, when violent clashes erupted across the country following the arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
As President of PTI Azad Kashmir, Niazi had recently instructed party workers to stage a forceful protest on August 5 in line with Imran Khan’s nationwide call for demonstrations.
PTI’s Azad Kashmir chapter has finalized preparations for the protest, while the central leadership is also set to launch a broader movement demanding constitutional and democratic rights.
Speaking from Swabi, senior PTI leader and former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser said the upcoming movement would be entirely peaceful and remain within the framework of the law and the Constitution.
He noted that August 5 marks the second anniversary of Imran Khan’s arrest, which the party intends to observe as a “Black Day.” Qaiser reiterated PTI’s demand for the immediate release of Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, stating that their right to bail is guaranteed under the law and Constitution.
