Pakistan police arrest son-in-law of exiled former PM Nawaz Sharif

Pakistani police arrested the son-in-law of the country's exiled former Nawaz Sharif on Monday after he led a crowd in chanting against the military at the tomb of the country's founder.

The arrest of Mohammad Safdar comes as Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League party has joined a series of nationwide protests against the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

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Police detained Safdar at a Karachi hotel room where he was staying with his wife Maryam Nawaz, who addressed a large anti-government rally Sunday.

Safdar on Sunday had visited the mausoleum of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who led independence movement to get a separate homeland from Britain in 1947 when united India was divided into two countries: India and Pakistan. Jinnah remains a revered figure in Muslim-majority Pakistan, with his tomb often drawing politicians and leaders.

Maryam Nawaz speaks to the media. File photo

While at the tomb, Safdar led a crowd in chanting: "Give respect to the vote!” That slogan is viewed in Pakistan as criticism of the country's military, which ruled the country of 220 million people — directly or indirectly — for most of its history.

Chanting political slogans at Jinnah’s tomb is widely considered taboo. Police say they arrested Safdar, himself a member of the Pakistan Muslim League party, after receiving a complaint from a citizen alleging he was harrassed.

The 70-year-old Sharif who has had a long uneasy relationship with the military, served as Pakistan’s prime minister three times. A court in 2017 ousted him from power over corruption allegations. Sharif has been staying in London since November after being allowed to receive medical treatment abroad.

Several opposition leaders have faced criminal charges in recent weeks as organized opposition to Khan, a former cricketer, grows.