BAHAWALPUR: Over 200 PTI activists have been booked in two FIRs registered by local police stations for allegedly opening fire during party’s protest rallies on Saturday, threatening police officials, blocking roads, taking out unlawful rallies under the MPO ordinance and other offences here on Sunday.

The FIRs were registered by Saddar and Civil Lines police stations on the complaints of police officials concerned.

Among the booked are 30 PTI leaders and office-bearers, including defeated candidates Samiullah Chaudhury, Asghar Joyia, Ahmad Usman Channar, Ijaz Gaddan and local leaders Farzand Ali Goher, Tahir Janbaz Alamgir Gujjar. More than 100 people are unidentified.

Complainant policemen alleged that the accused burnt tyres, blocked roads and stopped vehicular traffic creating hurdles for the general public, threatened police officials on duty.

They claimed the accused carried petrol bombs in their hands and hurled stones at police and private transport and attempted to torch their vehicles. It was also alleged in the FIRs that in the rally some masked demonstrators allegedly opened fire and uprooted poles alongside roads.

Dawn learnt that police teams raided the houses of some activists to arrest them but police denied it.

GUJRAT: More than 100 PTI workers, including an MPA, two ticket-holders and at least 11 lawyers have been booked by Gujrat police for blocking roads and staging a protest demonstration.

Being led by PTI candidate Chaudhary Qaisara Elahi, the Gujrat chapter of PTI had held a demonstration against the alleged rigging in the recently-held general elections.

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However, Civil Lines police lodged a case against at least 46 nominated and at least 60 unidentified PTI workers under sections 341, 290, 291, 147 and 149 of Pakistan Penal Code and section 16 of Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance 1960 on the report of inspector Mansha of the same police station.

PTI MPA Shahid Raza Kotla, party ticket holders from NA-63 Sajid Yousaf Channi and Tanveer Gondal from PP 30, member Punjab Bar Council Naveed Warraich and 10 other lawyers as well as some former union council chairmen, vice chairmen and councillors are also among those nominated in the case.

Police had also detained several PTI workers from the protest demonstration at Kutchehry Chowk whereas Tanveer Gondal and Faizan Khalid Butt were got freed from police custody by the resistance offered PTI leader Sameera Elahi and other women at the occasion. Police said it had started an investigation into the case.

Meanwhile, senior PTI leader and former federal minister Chaudhary Moonis Elahi has condemned the registration of case and police action during the `peaceful protest rally’ in Gujrat on Saturday.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2024