December 11, 2025
BY AHMED SAEED
Ali Wazir, former MNA and central leader of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), remains in Sukkur Jail despite having no active FIR against him, his lawyer and family said, more than a year after his first arrest. His prolonged detention has drawn criticism from rights activists who describe it as a clear violation of constitutional and legal protections.
Wazir has been repeatedly booked in cases ranging from road accidents to anti-terrorism charges since August 4, 2024, yet he has successfully secured bail or acquittal in all cases. Despite this, authorities have repeatedly invoked administrative detentions under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) to keep him behind bars, his lawyer, Imdad Haider Solangi, told Voicepk.net.
‘Ali Wazir is not required in any case’
Even after securing bail or acquittal in multiple cases across different provinces, Ali Wazir was booked again in an anti-terrorism case in Nawabshah, accused of “spreading hate and terror” through online platforms, his lawyer Imdad Haider Solangi said. The Anti-Terrorism Court later quashed the charges, ruling that the allegations did not fall under the Anti-Terrorism Act and referred the matter to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) for further inquiry.
Solangi said Wazir’s continued detention is unlawful. “There is no case against Ali Wazir. He cannot be kept in jail merely on the basis of an inquiry,” he said. He added that a preliminary investigation under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) is still ongoing but has not been registered as a formal FIR, making it insufficient grounds for imprisonment.
Solangi said he intends to file a habeas corpus petition before the Sindh High Court, Sukkur Bench to secure Wazir’s release and will also request restraining orders to prevent authorities from registering new cases to facilitate rearrests.
From Islamabad to Sukkur: a cycle of arrests, bails and rearrests
Wazir’s legal troubles began on August 4, 2024, when Islamabad Police arrested him in connection with a road accident. Authorities later filed an anti-terrorism case against him. Although the Islamabad High Court granted him bail in September 2024, he was not released. Instead, the Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner issued a detention order under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO), which allows authorities to hold a person for up to 90 days without filing an FIR if they believe the individual may act in a way that threatens public safety or public order.
His close aide, Badshah Wazir, said authorities repeatedly misused Section 3 of the MPO to keep Ali Wazir in detention. “Even after the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench declared his MPO detention illegal on September 27, 2024, he still could not walk free. The Gujrat Deputy Commissioner immediately issued another MPO-III order, and Ali was transferred to Gujrat Jail,” he said.
Badshah described a pattern of administrative detentions across multiple districts, adding that Deputy Commissioners in Bhakkar and Gujranwala also issued 3 MPO orders, both of which were later struck down by courts. “But instead of releasing him, Balochistan Police took him from Gujranwala, booked him in an anti-terrorism FIR in district Hub, and detained him again under 3 MPO even after he obtained bail,” he said.
Wazir was later arrested by Sukkur Police in two anti-terrorism cases, both ending in acquittals. He was then booked in yet another anti-terrorism FIR in Nawabshah. However, the Anti-Terrorism Court ruled the allegations did not amount to terrorism and referred the matter to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) for further inquiry.
“Every FIR was challenged legally and either ended in bail or acquittal, but a new order always appeared before he could leave the jail,” Badshah said. “They want to break him and keep him away from his people because he speaks for their rights without fear.”
Wazir, who suffers from diabetes, blood pressure, and heart problems, has not been able to see his doctors since August 2024, despite medical advice recommending regular check-ups every two to three months. Badshah said the prolonged denial of medical access adds to the severity of his confinement.
‘When Ali Speaks, people listen’
Human rights activist and National Democratic Movement leader Khushal Khattak said Wazir’s detention is deeply concerning. “Ali Wazir is one of the most prominent voices from the former FATA region. He is a charismatic leader, and when he speaks, people listen. His fearlessness makes some quarters uncomfortable,” Khattak said.
Khattak added that major opposition parties and alliances, including Tehreek Tahaffuz Aain Pakistan, have not raised Wazir’s unlawful detention with the seriousness it deserves. “The prolonged detention of a leader undermines the rule of law and sends a worrying signal about political rights and freedom of expression,” he said.