ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)‘s leadership, including Imran Khan, his spouse and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, were booked on a murder charge after an official of Rangers succumbed to his injury sustained during last month’s violent protest staged by the party.

A police officer told Dawn that the martyred official was identified as Lance Naik Mohammad Tanveer, a native of Narowal. He had suffered a firearm injury on the back of his head during the PTI’s protest on Nov 26 while performing duty at Chungi No 26.

Shortly after sustaining the firearm injury, he fell unconscious and was shifted to CMH, where he remained in coma and died on Thursday.

After getting information about his death, Tarnol police reached the CMH and brought the body of the martyred official to Pims. The autopsy on the body was conducted and the report was awaited.

Another officer said the police collected a number of bullet shells and cartridges from Chungi No 26 after the violent protest. The shells were from different kinds of weapons, including SMGs, 30-bore pistols and 12-bore guns. They were sent to the laboratory for forensic examination, he added.

After the death of the official, a murder charge was added to the case already registered at the Tarnol police station.

According to the FIR, contingents of police and Rangers personnel were deployed at Chungi No 26 in connection with PTI’s protest.

At around 9:15pm, about 10,000 to 12,000 people, led by the party’s leaders, including Bushra Bibi, Ali Amin Gandapur, MNA Abdul Latif, former MPA from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Riaz Khan, Amir Mughal, Shoaib Shaheen, Ali Bukhari, MPA Fatehul Mulk, Senator Faisal Javaid, MPA Pir Mosawer, Asad Qaiser, Omer Ayub, Khurram Sherzaman, Sher Afzal Marwat, Shibli Faraz, Arif Alvi, former CM Gilgit-Baltistan Khalid Khurshid, Zartaj Gul, MNA Omair Niazi and Adil Haleem Shaikh armed with batons, firearms, stones, slingshots, iron rods, teargas and 12-bore guns reached there on vehicles and motorcycles.

Their objective was to spread fear and terror among the public, undermine the government system and pursue their agenda and objectives by creating unrest and chaos in the country.

The FIR added that the protesters used intimidating force and terrorist tactics, blocking Srinagar Highway and the main G.T. Road, and chanted slogans of intense hatred against the government and institutions.

The participants of the protest were provoked by Bushra Bibi, Ali Amin Gandapur and other leaders with intentions to spread fear and terror among the rival political parties to achieve their political objectives.

“During the course of court proceedings, Bushra Bibi and Ali Amin Gandapur, who had been allowed to see Mr Imran Khan under court permission, hatched a conspiracy under the directions of Imran Khan with criminal intent to provoke party workers through video messages.”

As a result, the PTI protesters, led by the leadership, and on the behest of Zulfi Bukhari, Murad Saeed, Rauf Hassan, Salman Akram Raja, Hammad Azhar, Shaikh Waqas Akram, Shahryar Afridi, attacked police and Rangers and resorted to straight firing and teargas shelling. As a result of firing, ASI Nazir Ahmed, Head Constable Maqsoor Ahmed, Constables Ahsan Farooq, Nadeemullah, Faisal, Zahid, Ahsan, Sajjad and some personnel of Rangers were severely injured.

During the clashes, the protesters also snatched cash, mobile phones, anti-riot gears from the police personnel and a 30-bore pistol, mobile phones, cash, 200 rubber bullets and a teargas gun from Rangers. They also damaged vehicles and buildings and set a prison van of Punjab police on fire.

During this time, Bushra Bibi, Ali Amin Gandapur and other leaders announced to kill the police officials if they tried to stop them from moving to D-Chowk. They vowed to get Imran Khan released from jail and topple the government at all costs. After this announcement, the PTI protesters attacked the police, using teargas shells and firing from SMGs and other weapons. As a result, the enraged crowd moved forward to reach D-Chowk.

Earlier, a murder case along with other charges was also registered against the PTI chairman and other leaders at the Ramna police station over the killing of three officials of Rangers at Srinagar Highway.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2024