Senate body slams manner adopted for excuting non-bailable warrant against IK

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Wednesday expressed annoyance over the way adopted by the police to execute a non-bailable arrest warrant issued for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and sought details of other arrest warrants from Islamabad and Punjab police which they have executed like they tried to execute the warrant of arrest of former premier Khan.

The committee which met with Senator Mohsin Aziz asked Islamabad and Punjab police to submit the details of the arrest warrants it executed like it tried to execute the warrant of arrest of PTI chief Khan.

Inspector General of Police (DIG) Akbar Nasir Khan while briefing the committee said the city police have registered four cases against the PTI chief and other leaders after appearances of Imran Khan on different dates at the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) in Toshakhana and another case. Two FIRs had been registered on February 28 and another FIR was registered on March 18, he said.

He further said that Islamabad police went to Zaman Park following the directions of the court for the execution of the arrest warrants. The first time the police team was assured by PTI Senator Shibli Faraz that Khan will appear before the court.

While second to time city police team headed by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) went to Zaman Park for the execution of the arrest warrant, they faced resistance and the PTI workers pelted stones at them as a result the DIG was seriously injured, he said.

A senior official of the Punjab police said that “as per police rule, we are bound to provide assistance to the police of another province.” The PTI workers pelted stones when the DIG of capital police tried to enter Zaman Park for the execution of an arrest warrant, he said, adding that over 70 personnel of police had been injured on the occasion.

To this, the committee chairman told the police officer, he was present at Zaman Park at the time of the incident, and “what you are narrating before the committee is not correct.” Police had resorted to excessive tear gas shelling and rubber bullets against the PTI workers, he said.

He said that police conducted raids against the PTI workers, and leaders and arrested several workers of the PTI.

Senator Ejaz Chaudhry said that during the police operation a number of PTI workers had been injured and several vehicles owned by PTI workers were damaged on the occasion.

Chaudhry questioned police officers that did five to six thousand police personnel accompany the officer who is supposed to hand over the arrest warrants to any accused? Did carry tear gas shells and rubbers bullets during the execution of arrest warrants? he asked. The said situation developed at Zaman Park as police incited PTI workers, he said.

When the PTI senator Faisal Saleem Rehman asked the IGP Islamabad did he inform the senate chairman before conducting the raid at the house of Senator Shibli Faraz? The IGP told the committee that he would brief the committee during the next meeting as the same matter was not on the agenda.

Senator Ejaz Chaudhry said that police had registered a case under Section 302 following the brutal murder of Ali Bilal alias Zille-e-Shah, a special person. Police after the killing of Shah, first registered a case against him and other PTI leaders and on the next day changed their stance and said that Shah was killed during a road accident.

The postpartum report of the deceased revealed evidence of assault on at least 26 points of his body, including on his private parts. He requested the committee to recommend the police for registration of an FIR regarding the matter of his complaint.

About the raid on Zaman Park residence of Imran Khan, Punjab police said that according to CTD in FIR no 410/23, two terrorists were wanted to police and there were reports that those two terrorists were present in Zaman Park. When police raided Zaman Park, people present at Zaman Park offered resistance, he said, adding that police arrested 100 people along with these two terrorists.

About the recovery of three mutilated dead bodies of 40-year-old wife Granaz, of Marri and his sons, Muhammad Anwar (22) and Abdul Qadir (15) from a deep well who were allegedly detained as a hostage in the private prison of a provincial minister of Balochistan Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran, Senator Mushtaq Ahmed said that raised the matter regarding keeping three family members of Khan Muhammad Marri in a private jail in the Senate but police did not action.

He said the police took action after the video regarding the matter went viral on social media.

Abdul Khaliq Sheikh, IGP Balochistan, while briefing the committee regarding the progress of the investigation of the killing of three people, said the police never sympathy with Khetran and also nominated his three sons and his nephew in the FIR despite serious issues of evidence. Police have arrested Khetran and registered FIR under section 302, he said, adding that police were also conducting raids for the arrest of his sons.

He said he had suspended District Police Officer (DPO) and started a proper inquiry for not taking timely action after Senator Mushtaq Ahmed raised the issue in the Senate.

The committee directed the IGP Balochistan to include sections 363, 365 and section 7ATA of the Anti-Terrorism Act in the first information report (FIR) registered regarding the incident.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023