• Six FIRs registered at five police stations; hundreds of PTI supporters nominated
• PTI accuses police of using ‘expired teargas’ to disperse protest, police deny

RAWALPINDI: A day after the PTI staged its protest in Rawalpindi, the Punjab police have registered six FIRs over violent protests, claiming the protest that turned violent was organised on the call of incarcerated party founder Imran Khan in which Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur actively participated.

Three FIRs out of the six said that PTI founder Imran Khan, who had been languishing in Adiala jail, had called for a protest at Liaquat Bagh. In response, Ali Amin Gandapur, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, along with his followers had also declared their intention to actively take part in the protest.

A senior police officer, on condition of anonymity, said that the leadership of PTI, including its founder, called for protest despite the ban. He said Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and other leaders protested on the directive of their leader which was the reason for their nomination in the cases.

The police arrested more than 126 PTI leaders and workers on various charges ranging from Anti-Terrorism Act 1997, violating the ban on protests, shouting slogans against the government and institutions, obstructing the police, damaging police vehicles, snatching weapons and injuring at least two police officials.

Two cases were registered at the City Police Station – one each with the New Town, Waris Khan, R.A. Bazaar and Civil Lines police on various charges, ranging from the anti-terrorism act to disrupting public life.

In these cases, PTI central leaders Shehryar Riaz from the NA-56 constituency, Seemabia Tahir from NA-56, National Assembly candidate Aamir Mughal from Islamabad, and 107 leaders and activists, including Chaudhry Ameer Afzal and Aliya Hamza, have been named. More than 450 others have been declared ‘unknown suspects’ and booked under Section 109 (abetment).

Two cases were registered with the City police station on the complaint of SHO Khalid Yar. In one case, 15 leaders of PTI were directly nominated with 300 others. As many as 73 leaders and workers, including former MPA Seemabia Tahir and 11 women, had been arrested. In the second case registered with the City police, four nominated workers are already in custody whereas 20 others had remained unidentified.

In the case registered with the New Town police, Ajmal Sabir and 12 PTI leaders had been nominated and 45 had been declared unidentified. Five arrests have been made.

In the case registered with the Waris Khan police, 57 PTI supporters, including Sheryar Riaz Khan, had been nominated while 150 had been declared unidentified.

As many as 15 PTI workers and leaders have been arrested in connection with the case registered with the Civil Lines police, while 70 others remained unidentified as per the FIR. Seventeen PTI activists have been arrested by the Civil Lines police.

Likewise, PTI founder Imran Khan Niazi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had been formally named under Section 109 of the crime of aiding and abetting in the cases registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act and other provisions at the New Town, City, and Civil Line police stations.

A senior police officer, on condition of anonymity, said that the PTI leadership, including the founder of PTI, called for protest despite the ban while the party leaders, including CM Gandapur, protested on the directive of their leaders, that’s why they were also nominated in the cases. The police officer said that the unknown protesters resisting the police would be identified with the help of CCTV cameras.

On the other hand, the PTI alleged the police used ‘expired teargas shells’ to disperse the PTI protesters on Saturday. However, the police termed the allegations baseless, saying the shells were manufactured in 2022 and had a shelf life of five years.

It may be noted that life in the garrison city had come to a halt due to the police siege on Saturday as every person, including daily wage workers, the business community, patients, and working women could not venture out due to the blockade.

Even the ambulances were trying to seek help from the City Traffic Police to move but their efforts proved unproductive as the traffic police were busy somewhere else due to the law-and-order duty.

The Rawalpindi chief traffic officer on September 10 launched the ‘Emergency and Ambulance Portal’ to ensure that emergency vehicles reached their destination without any hindrance during law and order situations. However, contrary to the CTO’s claims, patients remained stuck in their cars for hours despite approaching the police for help. — Aamir Yasin also contributed to this story

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2024