Deaths caused by teargas shelling: Court orders registration of FIR against Prime Minister, others

In a major development, a local court on Monday ordered registration of an FIR against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Interior Minister, three other federal ministers, Inspectors General of Police of Islamabad and Punjab over the killings of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers in the aftermath of heavy teargassing by riot police on August 31 in the Red Zone of Islamabad.
PAT had submitted an application in the court of District and Sessions Judge Raja Jawad Abbas under section 22-A, seeking the registration of a case against the Prime Minister, the Punjab Chief Minister, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Federal Minister for Railway Saad Rafiq and IGP Islamabad and Punjab and government officials over the killings of three protesting workers of PAT in the Red Zone on August 31. The court accepted the petition and issued orders to register a case pertaining to the deaths of PAT workers due to shelling of teargas by police.
The Secretariat Police also submitted a report before the court during proceedings, adopting the stance that the Prime Minister and the Federal Ministers have no connection with teargassing on protesters in Red Zone on August 31. PAT workers were trying to take over sensitive buildings located in the Red Zone. Police further said a case has already been registered on behalf of the state authorities and that complaint by PAT was received after four days of the incident. Police further informed the court that SSP operations, Asmatullah Junejo, and several other police personnel were badly injured by the protesters.
Defence lawyer Chaudhry Abdul Aziz told the court that the district administration did not issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) to PAT for entering the Red Zone. "The administration had issued NOC to PAT only for the Aabpara location, however, PTI and PAT violated the orders. The protesters pelted police with stones and broke open parliament's gate and fences," he said.
Ibrar Raza, the counsel of petitioner Umer Riaz Abbassi, told the court that on August 31 and September 1, police following the direction of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar carried out heavy teargas shelling on "peaceful" workers of PAT and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) which resulted in the deaths of three people while injuries to several others. PAT had filed an application with the Secretariat Police Station for registration of a case, but police turned a blind eye to it and took no action, he said.
The court after hearing arguments ordered the police to register a case. PAT has nominated Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, Railways Minister Saad Rafique, Defence Minister Khwaja Asif, IGs Islamabad, Punjab and Railways, Commissioner Islamabad and other high officials.