Political tussle: QWP leader arrested for manhandling cops

MPA from Charsadda claims police acted on behalf of PTI govt to score points.

CHARSADDA: Sultan Muhammad Khan, Qaumi Watan Party’s (QWP) Charsadda MPA was arrested on Sunday for allegedly thrashing a police official and interfering in police matters.

At a news conference in Charsadda police station, DPO Shafiullah Khan told journalists Sultan, the winner from PK-18, was arrested with three of his guards when he forced his way into the City police station. The MPA reportedly tried to free culprits nabbed recently for aerial firing at a wedding. When the police refused, Sultan became furious and started threatening them, added Khan.



After lodging a case against Sultan and his guards, and producing the provincial legislator in front of a lower court, the police locked him up.

Sultan, while talking to reporters from the police station, said “Being a law graduate, I am well aware of the legalities but I was treated harshly by the police after I went to inquire about my constituents.” He said the police lodged a fake FIR against him, and termed the act a “conspiracy hatched by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak.”

Sultan’s brother Muhammad Rahim told The Express Tribune the arrest of locals had created panic in the area which is why Sultan traveled from Peshawar to inquire about the issue. He said when Sultan reached the police station, officials misbehaved with him. A bogus case against Sultan was registered by the police on the orders of the chief minister to put pressure on their party, stated Rahim.

Till recently, QWP was a coalition partner in the provincial government with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan. Accusations of corruption led to QWP parting ways with the government.

In a news conference on Sunday, QWP MPA Khalid Khan and Arshad Umarzai blamed the provincial government for using the police to keep their party in check. The party members claimed the QWP will never bow down to strong-arm tactics of PTI.

Meanwhile, JI district leader Misbahullah appreciated the conduct of the police and said it proves all are equal in the eyes of the law.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 30^th, 2013.