ISLAMABAD: The death of three personnel of Rangers in an apparent hit-and-run incident on Srinagar Highway stirred a controversy amid ongoing tension in the wake of PTI protest in the capital.

When the government is alleging that the Rangers officials were attacked by the PTI protesters, the other side is refuting the allegations, terming it a mere road accident.

According to police officials, a man was arrested by the police in connection with the accident and his vehicle was also impounded and the man has been shifted to the police station for further legal action.

The officials said the driver was identified and was a resident of F-10 sector.

The incident took place at G-10 traffic signal when the driver of a SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) was heading towards his residence.

Quoting the driver, the officials said due to darkness on the highway he failed to see the personnel who appeared in front of the vehicle all of a sudden.

As a result, six officials of the paramilitary force were hit after which he sped away, they added.

The man and the SUV were shifted to Margalla police station after the police intercepted and confiscated the vehicle at Shaheen Chowk.

The accident took place at G-10 signal, which borders both Karachi Company and Ramna police stations.

The deceased were identified as Naik Mohammad Ramzan, Sepoy Gulfam Khan and Sepoy Shahnawaz.

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A case will be registered against the driver over the killings of the personnel in the road accident and in this regard consultation is in progress with the quarters concerned. Besides, the police are also waiting for a written complaint about the incident.

A statement, purportedly of the Rangers spokesman, was circulating on social media and groups, in which he is saying that propaganda was being spread against Rangers.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the Press Information Department stated that funeral prayers of Naik Mohammad Ramzan, 47 years, resident of District Karak; Sepoy Gulfam Khan, 29, resident of Rawalpindi and Sepoy Shahnawaz, 33, resident of Sibi, who embraced martyrdom during the ongoing protest were offered at Chaklala Garrison in Rawalpindi.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief Gen Syed Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and senior serving military and civilian officials attended the funeral.

“Pakistan cannot afford any chaos and bloodshed for achieving vested political purposes. These acts of violence are unacceptable and highly condemnable which are bordering the limits of restraint by the law enforcement agencies. The entire nation pays homage to the martyred Rangers soldiers and all those police officials who have embraced shahadat and those who are injured during these riots,” PM Sharif said.

The bodies of martyred officials were taken to their native hometowns where they will be laid to rest with full military honour.

Rangers personnel laid to rest

Our Correspondent adds from Gujar Khan: Sepoy Gulfam Khan, the Rangers personnel martyred along with two others on Monday while on duty in Islamabad was laid to rest in his native village Chak Naban of the Gujar Khan tehsil on Tuesday night.

According to the sources, the Rangers personnel were killed after being run over by unknown suspects.

The attack occurred around 2:44am on the night of November 26, as the Rangers were in the process of being deployed at a checkpoint during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) march on the capital.

The body of the martyr was brought to his native town from Rawalpindi.

According to the family sources, Sepoy Gulfam, 29, was married two years ago and was a father to a 4-month-old baby boy. He has been survived by his father, Chaudhry Gulfraz, a mother, wife and a six-month-old son, among other family members.

Meanwhile, the martyr was laid to rest in the village graveyard after an active contingent of Ranger personnel presented a guard of honour.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2024