Pakpattan police book 49 PPP stalwarts for leading anti-govt rally

Names of senior PPP leaders included in FIR

MULTAN: At least 49 workers of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) were booked for taking out anti-government rally in Pakpattan District on Tuesday.

A police official told The Express Tribune that an FIR had been registered against the PPP workers. He added, “The names of senior PPP leaders, including district president Humayun Sarwar Bodla and General Secretary Shaukat Bajwa are also included in the FIR.”



He maintained, “The workers were booked under sections 188, 283, 16 of Maintenance of Public Ordinance (MPO) and section 6 of Sound System Regulation Act 2015.”

He said the Punjab government had imposed a ban on holding rallies against the government and the action was initiated in line with the instructions.

The FIR stated the workers of PPP violated the law and took out anti-government rally from Matchli Chowk to Chowk Chatti Qabar opposite to the shrine of Baba Fareed Shakar Ganj. The protesters, it added, were on foot and a few were on motorbikes.



They were charged with violation of section 144 which was imposed to maintain public order. According to the FIR, the protesters shouted slogans, delivered speeches against the government and also misused loud speakers, violating the Sound system Regulation Act 2015, read the FIR.

The police made clear that the protesters had been warned earlier but did not pay heed to the notice given by the officials, and instead indulged in disorderly behaviour, and blocked the main roads for several hours causing disturbance for the general public.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2017.