Hot waters: 250 PTI workers named in new FIR

They are accused of attacking, intimidating policemen

FAISALABAD:

Faisalabad police on Friday registered an FIR against 250 activists of the Pakistan Tehreek Insaf, including its Punjab general secretary Yasmeen Rashid, for intimidation, disturbing traffic flow at Millat Chowk, attacking policemen and disrupting peace.

The FIR was registered by Sargodha Road police under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and Sections 353, 186, 311, 114, 119, 147, 148, 149, 440 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) on the complaint of Sub Inspector Khawaja Imran Mannan.

The SI said PTI leaders Yasmeen Rashid, Abdul Ghaffar, Saleem Cheema, Wali Ahmad, Ejazul Haq, Shabbir Ahmad, Farrukh Nazeer, Hasan Masood Rana, Ahmad Raheel, Mian Adnan, Aamir Jabbar, Ahmad Shah and some 230 persons came on tractors and trolleys equipped with hockey sticks and clubs.

He said they had burnt tyres and forced traders to close businesses by threatening them over loudspeakers. “When police intervened, they attacked policemen and created a law and order situation in the city,” he said.

This is the fourth case registered against PTI workers pertaining to the December 8 strike in Faisalabad.

Arrest

Samanabad police on Friday arrested another man believed to be involved in the killing of a PTI worker on December 8.

The police have now arrested 10 people in the case.

Samanabad police had registered a case under Sections 302, 148, 149, 324 of the PPC and 7 of the ATA against State Minister for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali, former law minister Rana Sanaullah Khan, his son-in-law Sheharyar Khan, DCO Noorul Amin Mengal, MPA Tahir Jameel and 300 unidentified people on the complaint of Attaullah Khan, a brother of deceased Haq Nawaz, who was shot dead during clashes between PTI and PML-N workers. A police spokesman said 10 people had been arrested on the basis of the video footage. They said Usman was the latest suspect to be arrested.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13^th, 2014.