Dozens attack prisoner vans near Islamabad

Around two dozen unidentified assailants attacked prison vans on Friday on the outskirts of Islamabad near Sanjgani Toll Plaza, while prisoners were being transported back to Attock Jail after a court hearing.

A police spokesperson said several prisoners escaped during the chaos but they were later apprehended, adding four policemen were injured during the attack.

Narrating the details of the incident, the police spokesperson said as many as 82 prisoners were being transported to Attock Jail after the court hearing when the unknown attackers riding in four cars attacked prison vans near Sanjgani Toll Plaza.

The police spokesperson said the attackers were carrying weapons, sticks and stones. He asserted that four policemen were injured in the attack while three assailants were detained by the police, adding the search operation is underway in the area to nab the rest of the attackers.

The IG Islamabad said that around 25 to 26 attackers were involved in the incident who also resorted to firing on the police.

Court appearance

Earlier, District Magistrate Muhammad Azhar Nadeem presided over a hearing for the identification parade of the 82 suspects, dismissing the case as they had been presented in courts and, therefore, their identity was known to the police and the complainant.

According to the court's order, which has been seen by Dawn.com, these suspects were arrested during the PTI's rally in Islamabad on October 4. The counsel for the accused, Ansar Mehmood Kayani, said that 34 of them were police personnel while 42 included Rescue 1122 personnel. PTI MPAs Anwar Zeb and Malik Liaquat Khan are among the six arrested PTI members.

On October 4, at least 30 protesters were arrested as police fired tear gas to disperse PTI protesters attempting to reach Islamabad's D-Chowk for a party rally, despite a ban on public gatherings.

"[The] request to send the accused for identification parade is declined and all of them are hereby discharged from the instant case," said the court's order. "They [are to be] be released forthwith if not required in any other case."