‘May 9 rioters must pay for damages’

High-level probe body to consult with legal experts before approaching court

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi district administration has decided to recover compensation for the damages to government property in the Cantt and city areas from the arrested May 9 rioters.

According to sources, a high-level investigation committee will collaborate with legal experts before approaching the court.

The violent protest, which took place on May 9 after the arrest of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan resulted in significant damage to government property.

The damaged properties included the Sixth Road Metro Station, grills on Murree Road, traffic signals, fences near sensitive buildings, dozens of date trees in Cantt, a clock tower at GPO Chowk, electricity poles, bus stops, benches, and other public amenities.

A senior district administration officer revealed on the condition of anonymity that a decision has been made to restore and refurbish the government properties affected by the tragic events of May 9 using funds collected from the arrested PTI workers. According to preliminary estimates, the damage caused by the protesters in Rawalpindi Cantt amounts to hundreds of millions of rupees.

However, the assessment of damage to the Sixth Road Metro Bus Station and its adjacent facilities in the city areas is still pending.

The officer further explained that over 200 PTI workers and leaders have been apprehended in various cases and are currently detained in Adiala Jail. In light of this situation, it has been decided to pursue the cases against these individuals separately while also holding them accountable for the damage to government property.

The high-level investigation committee, responsible for investigating the May 9 cases, will consult with legal experts to formulate a comprehensive strategy.

This strategy will involve increasing the charges against the accused, and the government will demand compensation from them through official channels.

The officer added that after completing all the necessary legal processes and gathering additional evidence, such as CCTV footage, the responsibility for the damage will be ascertained. The authorities will then request the courts to collect compensation from the accused for the harm inflicted on government property.

To ensure an accurate estimation of damages, letters will be sent to the heads of various institutions, including Rawalpindi Cantonment Board, Chaklala Cantonment Board, Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation, RDA, Metro Bus Authority, IESCO, Sui Gas, WASA, and others.

The high-level probe body has also decided to expedite cases against PTI leaders and workers by consolidating them. According to sources, a total of 13 cases have been registered in the Rawalpindi division in connection with the riots.

Approximately 1,000 accused, including former PTI ministers and leaders, are nominated in these cases. Moreover, around 400 suspects have been arrested, while nearly 2,000 unidentified suspects are still at large.

In this regard, a meeting was held in Rawalpindi on Thursday in which concerns were raised about the slow progress in arresting the suspects.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 16^th, 2023.