Harassment of PTI women: PML-N keen on helping identify culprits

Party give NADRA Lahore rally footage

ISLAMABAD: It appears the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is more keen as well as acting quickly in helping identify those involved in harassment and molestation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s women activists than the opposition party itself.

A committee formed by the PTI last week is currently in the process of gathering video evidence related to the matter. A member of the PTI committee investigating the matter, said “compilation of evidence will take another day or two”.

But, the PML-N on Wednesday, acting much swiftly, submitted available footage of PTI’s Lahore rally with the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) for identification of those involved in harassment.

A senior Nadra official acknowledged receipt of footage saying, “the videos are of low quality. But, Nadra will try to identify the culprits.”

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also asked for arrest of the accused at the earliest.

The PTI also announced cancellation of its scheduled rally in Faisalabad fearing any similar incident.

On Wednesday, the PTI chief alleged that the suspects who attacked women at his party’s rally in Islamabad “appeared to be goons let loose by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz”.

He also went on to call the attack “pre-planned” and a “conspiracy”.

Imran further said that he had lost all trust in the Punjab police for failing to protect women at the rally.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2016.