ISLAMABAD: The capital police on Saturday raided the house of PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and later claimed it to be a result of ‘confusion’ over the residence’s address.

The police also raided the house of PTI’s Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan, as per a statement shared by the PTI leader on his social media account. The police, however, denied the raid.

Initially, the police denied that any raid was conducted at the residence of Gohar Ali Khan, but later a video went viral on social media after which the police issued ‘contradictory statements’ about the raid. Over the raid, the Supreme Court also took notice and summoned the chief of the capital police.

The raid at the PTI chairman’s house, located in F-7, was conducted when Barrister Khan was in the Supreme Court for the hearing on the petition against the restoration of the party’s electoral symbol. After getting information, he informed the apex court about the raid and left for his house.

Gohar claims son, nephew roughed up; police say house raided due to ‘confusion’ about house address

Later, he returned to the court and informed the bench that his son and nephew were tortured by the police. Besides, the police took a computer and documents from his house.

Police officers on condition of anonymity told Dawn that the raid was conducted on the directives of the senior officers. A police team reached the house of the PTI’s chairman in four vehicles for the raid, they stated. The team entered the house and left after confiscating a computer and some documents, they added.

Earlier, the police claimed that the house was raided on a tip-off regarding the presence of proclaimed offenders in the residence. But the contingent returned after learning that the house belonged to the PTI chief. The police denied confiscating any item, contrary to the claims made by Gohar Ali Khan.

In a statement, the police said the PTI chairman’s house was raided due to confusion about the address.

A police spokesperson said that the residence was raided to arrest proclaimed offenders. Replying to a question over the contradictory statements issued by the police, the PRO replied that the police entered the house of Barrister Gohar Ali Khan due to some confusion about the house address. The spokesperson, however, could not share the information about the alleged presence of POs. He, however, added that a team had been constituted to probe the matter.

Police chief visits residence

Talking to the media outside the PTI chairman’s house, the police chief said that under the directives of the top court, he came over to the house of Barrister Gohar Ali Khan to meet him and hear his complaint.

“A police team is also examining the crime scene because of his complaint,” he said, adding that the SP City was supervising the team investigating the incident.

There was information about the presence of proclaimed offenders in a house on the same street, the IGP said, adding that it happened due to confusion over the house address. However, the IGP ignored the question about the identification of proclaimed offenders.

In a tweet, PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan claimed that the “Islamabad police have raided my house in Islamabad without a warrant”.

On the other hand, the police tweeted that they did not go to Omar Ayub’s house. The spokesperson also denied that the police raided the house of the PTI leader.

In a statement, the PTI condemned the raid on the residence of PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan. Reacting to the “unlawful raid” on the house of the PTI chairman, the PTI spokesperson said that the unidentified masked men roughed up Barrister Gohar’s son, nephew, and watchman. He pointed out that the unknown attackers not only ransacked Barrister Gohar’s house but also confiscated valuables.

The spokesperson said that it was the responsibility of the top court to bring to justice the criminal facilitators involved in the “ongoing state operation and repression against PTI’s candidates and to expose the conspiracy” to exclude the country’s largest party from the election.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2024