Statements of New Town scuffle suspects recorded

Punjab Minister Raja Rashid Hafeez does not appear before the police but says available on phone

RAWALPINDI: Days after reports emerged that traffic wardens and a provincial minister had scuffled in a police station in Rawalpindi, police have completed recording the formal statements of most of those involved.

A fact-finding report is expected to be submitted to the Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) Abbas Ahsan on Thursday (today).

Rawalpindi Investigation SSP Muhammad Faisal recorded statements of New Town City Circle Traffic Police DSP, traffic warden, Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Chairman Arif Abbasi, his son Farhan, inspector-in-charge of New Town Circle, New Town SHO and other police officials who were embroiled in the scuffle.

Officials said that all those questioned have provided their sides of the story.

The inquiry officer will present the final fact-finding report the City Police Officier (CPO) Rawalpindi, Abbas Ahsan by Thursday.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that Traffic Wardens Suleman Kayani and Moin Shah, had been suspended in order to ensure a transparent inquiry.

Meanwhile, it was discovered that the wardens who had been suspended, had lodged separate applications with the New Town police on Wednesday in which the precinct’s SHO and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers were nominated.

However, the police refused to receive the application, raising strong objections that an inquiry was underway.

Punjab Minister Raja Rashid Hafeez, who was involved in the incident, did not appear before investigators because he was said to be busy in Lahore.

However, sources said that he has not been formally summoned to be a part in the inquiry but can be contacted on his mobile phone at any time.

The investigation officer said that he has obtained different videos of the event which had been captured on cell phones by locals.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) provincial minister and other high officials, including Abbasi, were on their way to attend the inauguration ceremony of the spring festival at the Shamsabad public park on Sunday evening when they allegedly drove the wrong side of the Murree Road.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2019.