Prime suspect held for staging protest at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib

Imran falsely projected personal dispute as a religious issue to settle his score with opponent party, says official

LAHORE: Police on Monday arrested a key suspect involved in the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib incident who attempted to give communal colour to an altercation at a tea-stall in its namesake city in Punjab last week.

According to District Police Officer (DPO) Ismailur Rehman, the suspect, identified as Imran, falsely projected personal dispute as a religious issue to settle his score with the opponent party.

The authorities said the suspect also delivered the hate speech and posted the religious slur on social media after which the local administration took action on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s directive and arrested Imran who was leading the protest at Gurdwara Janam Asthan chowk.

Imran has been charged with desecration of a holy place, terrorism and on other serious accounts. The DPO said all legal requirements will be fulfilled for prosecution.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar’s focal person on digital media also confirmed the arrest of the suspect under Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), saying the issue has been resolved peacefully and no one attacked the Gurdwara.

In a series of tweets sharing details of the incident, the focal person pledged strict action against “goons involved in vandalism and hate speech”.

The main culprit in #NankanaSahib incident Imran has been arrested

FIR # 6/2020 u/s 295A/290/291/341/506/148/ 149, 6 sound system /7ATA has been registered at Nanakan Police Station pic.twitter.com/v1LYzO7ACI

— Azhar Mashwani (@MashwaniAzhar) January 5, 2020

For those who don't know especially Sikh brothers: 7 ATA is a non bailable section under Anti Terrorism Act.#NankanaSahibhttps://t.co/czddDNYGQV

— Azhar Mashwani (@MashwaniAzhar) January 5, 2020

Background of this episode:
The relatives of this guy Imran (brother of Hassan who eloped Sikh girl) had scuffle with Muslim customers & they beat the customers
Police took action

Imran started the drama that we r being victimised due to that marriage issue 2/3

— Azhar Mashwani (@MashwaniAzhar) January 3, 2020

Sikhs form a small community in Pakistan – most of whom live in Punjab, parts of Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Janam Asthan Nankana Sahib draws millions of Sikh followers from all over the world. The gurdwara was built on the birth site of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism.

Other important gurdwaras include Dera Sahib in Lahore and Punja Sahib in Hassan Abdal, where Sikh devotees from across the globe visit and perform religious rituals.

In November last year, Premier Imran had inaugurated the historic Kartarpur corridor for the followers of Guru Nanak, allowing them to visit the revered guru’s final resting place without a visa.