Former MNA Faiz Tamman was arrested in Rawalpindi on Friday for allegedly forcibly marrying a female relative and keeping her in illegal confinement, police said.
Tamman was arrested after the suspected victim's sister filed a complaint against him in the Rawat police station, accusing the ex-lawmaker of of marrying the victim through emotional and physical abuse, blackmail and drug abuse, and attempting to seize her property.
The complaint states that Tamman was a distant relative of the victim, an unmarried orphan, and had allegedly offered to help her, but instead took her to his home and eventually married her by manipulating and drugging her.
Tamman, it alleged, is married and has two children and his wife assisted him in his crimes against the victim, who, according to the complaint, is being kept in illegal confinement.
When the victim demanded humane treatment and full rights as a wife, she was physically and mentally abused, and subsequently hospital, the complainant claimed.
It also alleged that another of Tamman's cousins has faced the same treatment and currently resides at his home, while he has taken over her property.
Police began an investigation into the matter but Tamman had expressed dissatisfaction with the area station house officer, after which the case was passed on to a deputy superintendent of police (DSP).
The DSP on Friday, after hearing both parties, arrested Tamman and ordered the arrests of his suspected accomplices.
Subsequently, police registered a case against Tamman, who will be present before the magistrate, with police seeking his physical remand on Saturday, Superintendent Police Iftikharul Haq told Dawn.
Tamman, Sardar of Talagang, was elected an MNA on a fake degree in the 2002 General Election as an independent candidate, but later joined the PML-Q. He switched loyalties, got a PML-N ticket and won the same seat in the 2008 election. He resigned from the National Assembly in 2010, accusing the Sharif brothers of cold-shouldering him. In 2011, he joined the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and in April this year announced he was re-joining the PML-N.