ISLAMABAD: Inspector General of Police (IGP) Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi on Wednesday said that every citizen has the right to stage a protest but “terrorism under the guise of a demonstration” would not be tolerated.
Addressing a press conference flanked by Chief Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa, the IGP said there is a difference between protest and terrorism. Without naming Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he said in this protest, the protesters used all kinds of lethal weapons against the law enforcement agencies.
“During the protest, the protesters fired straight bullets on the law enforcement agencies. They committed terrorism and damaged public properties.”
The IGP said that the way they invaded the capital they could be called terrorists and not protesters. He alleged that the protestors used provincial government resources against the last enforcement agencies.
A total of 954 protesters have been arrested by police, of them 610 were nabbed on December 26, he said, adding that 39 different kinds of weapons including Kalashnikov rifles and pistols were recovered from the protesters. He said that the police have impounded 200 vehicles.
The arrested persons include a large number of Afghanistan nationals, he said.
IGP Rizvi said that during the protest 71 security personnel were injured, of them 27 received bullet injuries.
Three Rangers personnel were martyred and the condition of one Rangers personnel is critical, he said, adding that the protest caused financial loses in millions.
He said that the police have so far registered seven different first information reports (FIRs) under terrorism charges against the people involved in it.
Police have collected the data of 30,000 vehicles and their owners would be traced through CCTV footage, he said, adding that the presence of Afghans in this protest is the matter of serious concern.
The IGP said that the law enforcement agencies have conducted operation against the protesters late night to establish the writ of the state.
When questioned about how protesters were able to reach D-Chowk despite the heavy security measures, including roadblocks and the deployment of shipping containers, Rizvi explained that the police were only equipped with teargas and rubber bullets, while the protesters had firearms and used tear gas shells.
The chief commissioner; however, said that the district administration has now cleared the whole city and normalcy has returned. “All containers and roadblocks have been removed”, he said.
Randhawa said that following the directives of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) the protesters have been permitted to stage protest at Sangjani but they insisted on reaching Blue Area and Red Zone.
He also said that to establish the writ of the state no one would be allowed to create law and order situation.
A large number of foreigners (Afghani) participated in the protest, he claimed, adding that now the administration has decided that no Afghanistan national will be allowed to live in the city without obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the deputy commissioner (DC).
He said that weapons were used in the protest, while many Safe City cameras were destroyed by the protestors.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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