PTI supremo, workers booked for defying laws
Former prime minister Imran Khan addressing a rally in Sharaqpur on October 12, 2022. SCREENGRAB
The Islamabad police have registered eight criminal cases against scores of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and scores of party activists in different police stations for violating different sections of the law on the pretext of a protest against the disqualification of the former premier by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the Toshakhana reference.
The FIRs were registered in Secretariat, I-9, Khana, Shehzad Town, Sihala, Bhara Kahu and Sangjani police stations for vandalising, damaging public and private property, assaulting the police, ransacking, injuring a policeman by pelting stones, disrupting peace and blocking the main highways.
Sections 109 (abetment), 148 (rioting with a deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of an offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186 (obstructing public servant), 324 (attempted murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 427 (mischief causing damage) and 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage) of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act were included in the FIRs.
As many as 78 PTI leaders including former federal minister Amir Kayani, Qayyum Abbasi, Senator Faisal Javed, a former member of provincial assembly Raja Rashid Hafeez, Umar Tanveer Butt, Rashid Naseem Abbasi and Raja Majid have also been nominated in the case registered in I-9 police station. It has been stated in the case that the PTI workers pelted stones at police, FC, and district administration personnel, injuring several of them.
The protesters tried to ram vehicles at police personnel to kill them. They set fire to trees in nearby areas of Faizabad and attempted to damage government property. Police say that government property was damaged in Islamabad. The side walls were broken and the roads were blocked. Footpaths, electric poles and under-construction facilities were also damaged.
On the other hand, all the officers and officials of Islamabad Police were not carrying any weapons or deadly weapons given the law-and-order situation. The protesters along with their leadership pelted stones at the police injuring one FC and four police personnel.
Similar incidents also took place at Faizabad, Taramri Chowk, Khana Bridge and Islamabad Chowk. The relevant authorities have been informed of the reconstruction of the installations. The injured personnel are also undergoing treatment.
So far eight FIRs have been registered with 78 nominated and hundreds of unidentified suspects. Three FIRs have been registered under the ATA.
Moreover, the federal police authorities have clarified that the statement of former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed is not based on facts. “The Islamabad Police did not raid the house of any political leader or worker in Rawalpindi last night, nor did these political leaders appear to be part of any political protest, a police spokesperson said.
“Spreading false news about Islamabad Police should be avoided. The Islamabad Police reserves the right to take legal action against misrepresentation,” the spokesperson added.
It is worth mentioning that a PTI MNA Saleh Muhammad was also arrested on Friday along with his two police guards by the capital police over an alleged firing incident outside the ECP office.
with additional input from APP
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2022.