Seven suspects held for attacking press club

Police book nearly 100 people on various charges

KARACHI: Police have arrested around half-a-dozen members of the Anjuman Talaba-e-Islam (ATI) over their alleged involvement in attacking Karachi Press Club and thrashing journalists on Sunday.

The arrests were made during raids in parts of District South, including MA Jinnah Road and Saddar. The arrested ATI workers have been identified as Umair Khan, Obaid Ahmed, Muhammad Raza, Khawaja Raza, Abdul Qadir, Irfan and Zafar Iqbal. The suspects are in custody at the lockup of the Artillery Maidan police station. An FIR (43/16) has also been registered at the police station on behalf of the state.

The police have charged the seven suspects with sections 147, 148, 149, 379, 436, 511 and 427 of the Pakistan Penal Code which pertain to rioting, aerial firing and snatching valuables. Moreover, Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act has also been inserted in the FIR.

"We have also nominated ATI's Karachi-based leader Iftikhar Ali and a party's office bearer, Sajid Khan, in the FIR," said Artillery Maidan SHO Abdul Ghaffar. He explained that around 70 to 80 unidentified persons have also been nominated in the FIR, saying "they will also be arrested soon."

During a protest by religious parties to mark the Chehlum of Mumtaz Qadri, the convicted murderer of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer who was hanged last month, dozens of ATI members carrying party flags and banners stormed the press club and thrashed journalists on Sunday. They also attempted to set on fire the vehicle of a private news channel.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th,  2016.