The Supreme Court was apprised by the law enforcement agencies that a “crowd was organised to enter Red Zone under the PTI leadership who had reached Express Chowk with the intent to proceed further towards D-Chowk as per the directions of the party’s highest command”.
On June 1, the Supreme Court sought reports from director generals of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) as well as Islamabad IG police, interior secretary and others over the alleged involvement of PTI leaders in instigating party workers to reach Islamabad's D-Chowk in violation of its May 25 order.
Sources revealed to The Express Tribune that these reports said that party leaders, including Saifullah Niazi and Zartaj Gul etc, were urging the workers on social media to reach D-Chowk to welcome PTI Chairman Imran Khan. Their videos were also attached with the reports.
It is also learnt that the court was told that on May 25 at about 6:50 pm, Imran gave a video message near Chach Interchange (Attock) en route to Islamabad, wherein, he acknowledged the Supreme Court’s judgment and called upon the public to reach D-Chowk. Imran also added that he would also try to reach D-Chowk in an hour or so.
Earlier, the PTI had initially informed the Islamabad DC through a letter on May 23 requesting provision of security for the party’s sit-in on May 25 at Srinagar Highway between the H-9 and G-9 area.
A three judge bench of the apex court led by Justice Ijazul Ahsan passed the order at 6pm on May 25. Following the order, police, Rangers and FC were directed to show maximum restraint and they stopped any further action so that protestors could reach the G-9/H-9 area.
However, groups of people led by their leaders kept on moving towards D-Chowk on Jinnah Avenue which is a different route than the Srinagar Highway. Police and LEAs moved back towards Express Chowk/Red Zone as per the direction of the police command.
It is mentioned in one report that the protesters had come motivated to cross the barriers and confront the police and LEAs as per directions of their leadership. On May 25 at around 6:50pm, some of them kept advancing in vehicles and motorbikes against LEAs who were on the roads.
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The protesters were armed with wooden sticks and they pelted stones at LEAs personnel in order to force their way to the D-Chowk and other places also. Moreover, the protesters were also using vehicles to run over the police officials deployed on duty who were only yielding batons to stop the protesters. Heavy machinery was also used to remove the containers earlier in the day at various places during the rally.
The protesters started setting ablaze nearby trees and bushes. Some of the protesters also mounted containers placed on the main road near China Chowk leading to Express Chowk towards Red Zone.
The SC was also apprised that the police had taken lawful, necessary, and proportionate steps to disperse the crowd who was continuously trying to reach the closed areas in Red Zone.
And the police only employed defensive and anti-riot measures to maintain law and order, but the protesters were charged and adamant to move to the Red Zone. During the stone-pelting by protesters and resistance put up by them, 23 LEAs personnel were injured in ICT.
Police exercised maximum restraint after the orders of the Supreme Court, using anti-riot tactics which included teargas and baton-charge only to protect themselves and public life and property and avert of law and order situation.
The police and LEAs used teargas shelling to prevent entry of the charged mob into the Red Zone, however, only anti-riot measures were used to disperse the mob. Police and LEAs were not issued any fire arms, specifically to avoid any casualty, despite credible information about armed personnel among the protesters which could have led to violence.
It was also stated that when apprehension and threat level enhanced, Article 245 of the Constitution was invoked and the Pakistan armed forces were called by the government to assist the civil administration.
Even when protesters crossed the Red Zone in the morning of May 26, 2022, despite this sheer violation of the lawful orders, police, Rangers and other institutions exercised maximum restraint and did not employ any force and peacefully dispersed the crowd to avoid any breach of peace.
As per PIMS report, 26 civilians got medical treatment while six went to Poly Clinic. Seventy-seven accused were arrested in 19 cases in Islamabad.
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