FIR lodged over Lahore's PP-167 constituency clash

LAHORE:

Police on Sunday registered a case about a clash reported between PTI and PML-N activists at a polling office in Lahore's PP-167 constituency in Johar Town a day earlier while the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has also taken notice of the incident.

The case was registered on the complaint of an ASI, who claimed that by the time police reached the spot, the culprits had escaped after firing gunshots.

The case was registered against unidentified persons under sections 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 324 (attempt to commit murder) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of Rs50) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

It added that the police had found 12 bullet shells at the scene, and started probing into the case.

Sources said that the police had tried to hide the facts in the FIR as it did not mention the injured. They added that a case was registered against unidentified people despite the fact that there was footage of those firing gunshots.

Police registered a case on their own behalf instead of both the parties, PTI candidate Shabir Gujjar and his rival, PML-N’s Nazir Ahmed Chohan.

Earlier, a spokesperson for the Lahore police said officials had obtained CCTV footage of the incident and law and order would be ensured during the campaign for the by-polls.

He added that the Lahore DIG Operations had formed a committee headed by the Saddar SP to investigate into the incident.

The police have also reportedly conducted a raid at Gujjar’s camp.

The ECP’s district monitoring officer Nabeel Ahmed maintained that an "incident of firing/clash" had occurred near the Allah Hoo Chowk between a "PML-N candidate and PTI workers", and initial inquiry reports suggested that a few people had been injured.

"In this regard, a detailed inquiry into the incident may be conducted immediately and report thereof be shared with this office," he wrote in a letter to the Lahore police chief.

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The PTI claimed that their election office in Lahore's PP-167 constituency was attacked by party dissident Chohan on Saturday night. However, Chohan has made a similar claim.

Taking to Twitter, PTI leader Shahbaz Gill claimed that Chohan and his "thugs" attacked the election office of the party's candidate located at Allah Hoo Chowk. He alleged that they also injured the candidate's son Adil before fleeing from the scene.

"These turncoats are not in control of their senses. Faced with fear, they have resorted to such despicable tactics," he added.

PTI's Hammad Azhar in a tweet alleged that Chohan, along with a police officer, attacked the PTI’s election office and injured “dozens of workers”.

"A shot was fired at the head of the [PTI] candidate's nephew," he said. He further claimed that the police were refusing to file a report.

Chohan was among the 25 Punjab Assembly PTI dissident MPAs who were de-seated by the ECP for voting for Hamza Shehbaz in the Punjab CM’s election in April.

Addressing a news conference, Chohan claimed that over 100 PTI workers attacked him with sticks and weapons on Saturday night.

"I was on my way back home when some vehicles blocked my way near the Allah Hoo Chowk," he added.
"Shabbir Gujjar [PTI's candidate] and his accomplices misbehaved with me and threatened to kill me. They also fired shots at my car with modern weapons. "I escaped narrowly from there with burst tyres.”

Separately, the ECP issued notices to Chohan and Gujjar for violating its code of conduct.

It said incitement to violence or resorting to violence in pre-poll campaigns and polling hours was strictly prohibited by contesting candidates and their supporters.

“There will be a complete ban on carriage and display of all kinds of weapons and fire arms in public meetings and processions as well as on the polling day and until 24 hours after the consolidation of official results by the returning officers,” a statement issued by the commission read.

The ECP directed Chohan and Gujjar to appear before the district monitoring officer either in person or through a counsel at 12pm on Monday (today) to "clarify their positions".

Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja has issued directions for the IG Punjab to conduct a transparent inquiry into the incident and submit a report to the ECP.