Right and might: MPA denies ordering attack on police station

Shoaib Idrees went to the police station, flanked by nearly 50 people to vouch for his innocence

FAISALABAD:

Provincial assembly member Rana Shoaib Idrees on Monday appeared at Khurarianwala police station to record his statement on his alleged involvement in attacking the police station and injuring a sub inspector.

The MPA was accompanied by 30 supporters and two dozen lawyers led by Faisalabad District Bar Association General Sectary Ejaz Ahmad Wahla.

Idrees told the investigation officer that he was not involved in any assault and that since he was not nominated in the FIR, he should not be interrogated.

Investigation Officer Inspector Ghulam Abbas told the MPA that his name had been added to the FIR on the basis of a fact-finding committee report supervised by Operation SSP Bilal Umar and Jaranwala SP Arif Shehbaz.

He told the MPA that the case would be investigated on merit and assured him that he would not be victimised.

Talking to newsmen after the meeting, the MPA said a mob had attacked the police station on orders from somebody else.

The MPA said his name was included in the FIR after the police launched a “character assassination campaign” against him.

“My name was included in the FIR on the basis of a supplementary statement,” he said.

“The police are dragging me into this case while I have nothing to do with it.”

He said a large number of people had come with him to the police station to testify that he was innocent and was not involved in attacking the police station.

Khurarianwala police had booked the MPA along with other nine named and 50 unidentified accused under sections 7 of Anti Terrorism Act (ATA) and Sections 225, 186, 353, 149, 148 and 440 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

Idrees was believed to be involved in attacking at a police station, damaging public property, rioting and injuring a police official.

After the case was registered, the MPA went underground and he was not arrested despite several raids by the police at his residence and houses of his friends and family.

He had sought help from other MNAs and MPAs, saying he was being victimised by the police. He had then appeared before the Lahore High Court and secured protective bail August 11.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 5^th, 2014.