A prominent Pakistani politician who is also a close ally of former Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested after police raided his home near Islamabad.
Police said on February 2 that Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, who served as interior minister in Khan's government that lost power in April, has accused former Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari of plotting to kill Khan.
Islamabad police were expected to bring Ahmed to court and ask for permission to question him to produce evidence supporting his accusation against Zardari.
Ahmed told the media after his arrest that security forces mistreated him, barging into his home in the dark and beating up his staff.
Ahmed is the leader of the Awami Muslim League, a small political party that was in the governing coalition with Khan's Tehrik-e Insaf (PTI) party.
Khan voiced his "strong protest" at Ahmed's arrest in a message on Twitter.
Ahmed's arrest early on February 2 came just hours after Fawad Chaudhry, an information minister in Khan's government and a prominent leader in PTI, was released on bail by an Islamabad court after spending a week in detention.
Chaudhry was arrested on January 25 on charges of "threatening and intimidating" the chief of the country's Election Commission and other members of the election oversight body.
Khan, a 70-year-old former cricket superstar who still enjoys huge popularity as the main opposition leader, was wounded in a gun attack while leading a march toward the capital, Islamabad, in November, to push for early elections.
One of his supporters was killed and several others were wounded in the shooting.
In October, the Election Commission disqualified Khan from holding public office for five years after finding he had unlawfully sold state gifts and concealed assets as prime minister.
Khan has rejected the accusation, and claimed he was toppled in a plot by Sharif and the United States, claims they both deny.