Sanaullah dismisses allegations that police abetted Rawalpindi riots

'Restoration of damaged shops should be completed soon,' says Sanaullah

RAWALPINDI: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that a fact finding committee has started its investigation into the Rawalpindi sectarian clashes.

While speaking at a press conference, he addressed allegations that the police were involved in the crime.

Although “it is possible that someone made a mistake,” the allegation that police are involved is untrue and “it is propaganda,” he asserted.

Sanaullah also said an initial report has been submitted and the team has started groundwork to try and determine whose mistake allowed the violence to ensue. He added that videos of the procession were recovered from victims’ phones.

He informed that Justice Mamoonur Rasheed is in Rawalpindi for the investigation, adding that the government has requested that the judicial report be submitted within 30 days.

Counter Terrorism Division (CTD) Additional Inspector General (AIG) Aftab Cheema is also in Rawalpindi and is heading a “very capable and hardworking team,” the law minister said.

Sanaullah stated that “restoration of the damaged shops should be completed soon.”

Clash and protest

On November 15, sectarian clashes had erupted at an Ashura procession near Fawara Chowk, that left at least 11 people dead and over 80 injured. Unidentified people had also set a portion of the cloth market in Raja Bazaar on fire.

A weekend long curfew was imposed in the city after Friday's violence to control the sectarian tension.

On November 18, after the curfew was lifted, around seven to eight hundred people had staged a protest against the administration, demanding compensation for losses borne by traders as a result of the Rawalpindi riots.

The army and police had arrived at the bazaar shortly after the protest started and had temporarily closed of all routes leading to Raja Bazaar.