They were arrested from Azeez Bhatti Shaeed Hospital on Wednesday night following clashes between PML-Q and PML-N workers. An FIR was registered in the case against 15 nominated and 40 unidentified men. Those nominated included former district nazim Chaudary Shafaat Hussain (Shujaat Hussain’s brother), former education minister Chaudary Imran Masood and PML-Q city president Haneef Haideri.
Workers of the two parties faced off first at the Gujrat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GtCCI) building and later at the Azeez Bhatti Shaheed Hospital on Wednesday.
The clash at the GtCCI erupted after some PML-Q workers led by Chaudary Shafaat Hussain and Imran Masood reportedly tried to detain former MPA Nasir Mehmood or hand him over to the police custody.
A case against Mehmood was registered on a directive of the Supreme Court. He was disqualified from his Punjab Assembly seat for submitting a fake degree with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
At least eight people were injured in the fight. The PML-N workers later blocked the GT Road for more than two hours.
DPO Afzal Ahmed Kaisar said he would investigate the incident fairly and would make sure that no one involved in violence went free.
Speaking to the media, leaders of both parties accused each other of initiating the clash.
Former MPA Nasir Mehmood alleged that the attack was planned by the PML-Q leaders. He said such “lowly tactics should show the people of Gujrat the real face of PML-Q leaders”.
In another press conference, Chaudary Shafaat Hussain accused the PML-N of using police to deal with PML-Q’s popularity.
Both groups submitted written complaints to the police against each other.
Some PML-Q workers were arrested late night after the brawl at the Azeez Bhatti Shaheed Hospital.
The workers clashed when some PML-Q men injured in the morning fight were brought to the hospital’s Emergency Ward. Additional SP Saeed Khan soon reached the scene and made the arrests.
In a meeting between with DIG Tariq Yasin on Thursday, a Gujrat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GtCCI) delegation complained about some PML-Q workers. They informed DIG Yasin that they keep getting complaints from traders about alleged highhandedness of some PML-Q workers.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 21st, 2011.
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