SAHIWAL: A journalist from a private electronic media channel has been booked under Section 20 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016 on the complaint of a lawyer at Arifwala city police.

According to reports, Tehsil Bar Council Arifwala President Shakeel Alvi lodged a complaint against Hum News local reporter Shafiq, alias Phool, accusing him of spreading fake news regarding his removal from office.

The FIR says Shafiq reported that Shakeel had passed a resolution against his own bar general secretary, leading to his termination through a show of hands. The complaint alleges this news was later circulated widely on social media.

Shakeel termed the allegations baseless, stating that Shafiq’s actions amounted to “misconduct” and “defamation” of his character and credentials as bar president. He also accused the reporter of attempting to incite hatred among the legal fraternity and the public.

Two lawyers, Umair Nasir and Rehan Akhter, supported Shakeel’s complaint as witnesses. City Police, Arifwala, has yet to make any arrests in the case.

PTI: Sahiwal and Pakpattan police registered six FIRs against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) political workers at different police stations for organising ‘stolen mandate’ rallies on the call of party founder Imran Khan on the night of Feb 08.

In Sahiwal, these FIRs were lodged at Noor Shah, Sahiwal, Kasowal, Bahadur Shah and Chichawatni Sadar police, while in Pakpattan, a case was registered at Fariq Nagar [olice station. Sub-inspectors of the police stations are complainants in all FIRs.

The cases were registered under different sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), including 188, 186, 341, 148, 149, 141, and 16 MPO for violating Section 144 by organising political rallies and gatherings.

In Pakpattan, an FIR was registered against seven identified and 10 unidentified people. In Sahiwal, FIRs were lodged against 40 identified and 70 unidentified people. Reports suggest around 114 political workers managed to escape during the police crackdown on different rallies. However, police reportedly arrested around 70 PTI workers at various urban and rural localities.

These cases were registered against central, divisional, district, and tehsil-level office bearers, including PTI political workers from the second and third-tier leadership. Prominent figures named in the FIRs include MNA Rai Hasan Nawaz, MPAs Rai Murtaza and retired Maj Ghulam Sarwar, as well as PTI ticket holders Rana Amir Shahzad, Sajjad Nasir, Muhammad Yar Demra, Faisal Jalala Dhako, Waheed Asghar Dogar, and dozens of party workers.

Sahiwal DPO Rana Tahir confirmed the arrest of 15 PTI workers, but Mr Nawaz contradicted this, claiming 40 workers had been arrested. Sources said around 21 PTI activists had submitted affidavits with 11 police stations in district Sahiwal, pledging not to participate in any political gatherings.

Pakpattan DPO Javed Iqbal confirmed police raids for workers’ arrests, with sources claiming that district Pakpattan police arrested 44 PTI workers.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2025