RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi police have formed a special team headed by the SSP Investigation for a transparent probe into several cases registered against the PTI leaders and supporters in the wake of protests in the garrison city on the call of former prime minister Imran Khan.

Sources said SSP Saba Sattar will head the panel comprising the Rawal Division SP, the New Town DSP, Sadiqabad SHO, investigation officers, and the IT lab in-charge. The special team constituted by City Police Officer Syed Khalid Hamdani will also investigate the cases registered with the Potohar Division police, including Naseerabad and Taxila.

One of the cases was registered on Sept 29 at the City police station under the terrorism act and other sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, on the complaint of Sub-inspector Khalid Yar. The FIR said the PTI founder, imprisoned in Adiala jail, asked his supporters to converge on Liaquat Bagh for a protest.

On his call, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur along with the party supporters declared his intention to take part in the protest. Both the PTI founder and the KP CM were booked for abetment in this case. The special team has been asked to submit the progress reports to the CPO on a weekly basis.

A senior police officer said that the leadership of PTI, including its chief Imran Khan, called for a protest despite the ban and others, including Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur and local PTI leaders, protested on the directive of their leader, which was why they were nominated in the cases.

The special team has also been asked to probe a case registered with the New Town police on September 28, 2024. Besides, the FIR registered with the Waris Khan police on Sept 29 would be investigated as well. Similarly, the Sadiqabad police on Oct 5 registered a case in connection with the PTI protests, which would be probed by this special panel.

In this case, the Sadiqabad police said the protest which turned violent was organised on the directives of Imran Khan and local leaders and included various charges, ranging from terrorism to incitement against government and state institutions, to the FIR. Four police constables were also injured during the clashes between the police and PTI protesters in the limits of the Sadiqabad police station. According to a police official, 433 protesters were rounded up by the Rawalpindi police during the protests organised by the PTI in the garrison city.

On his call, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur along with the party supporters declared his intention to take part in the protest. Both the PTI founder and the KP CM were booked for abetment in this case. The special team has been asked to submit the progress reports to the CPO on a weekly basis.

A senior police officer said that the leadership of PTI, including its chief Imran Khan, called for a protest despite the ban and others, including Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur and local PTI leaders, protested on the directive of their leader, which was why they were nominated in the cases.

The special team has also been asked to probe a case registered with the New Town police on September 28, 2024. Besides, the FIR registered with the Waris Khan police on Sept 29 would be investigated as well. Similarly, the Sadiqabad police on Oct 5 registered a case in connection with the PTI protests, which would be probed by this special panel.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2024