ISLAMABAD, June 22: Chair-person of Pakistan People’s Party Benazir Bhutto has condemned the arrest of former managing-director of Pakistan Printing Corporation (PCP) by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in a corruption case on Saturday.

In a statement issued by the PPP media cell here Sunday. Ms Bhutto said that Pir Mukaram, husband of PPP Parliamentarians MNA Farzana Raja and brother of former Sindh Assembly speaker Pir Mazharul Haq, was arrested by the NAB to intimidate his wife.

“The arrest of Pir Mukaram clearly shows state terror where husbands are picked as political hostages by institutions pretending to be fighting corruption”.

She said Pir Mukaram was arrested on the same day as a minister, Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, was acquitted of charges of corruption. Mr Sherpao admitted to holding “party funds” in Switzerland and was tried for other malpractices.

To pressure Pir Mazharul Haq, his brother was dismissed from government service. However, a Federal Services Tribunal set aside the dismissal order three days back.

MARVI MAZHAR: In a separate statement, Miss Marvi Mazhar, MPA from Dadu has condemned the arrest of Pir Mukaram and termed it as politically motivated intimidation. She said the arrest was made when no-trust move had been tabled against the Speaker and government was bent over blackmailing its opponents.

She called upon the government to immediately release her uncle and withdraw the case. She also drew the attention of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and Amnesty Internati-onal to take up such kind of human rights abuses.