ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Police on Sunday lodged a first information report (FIR) – under anti-terrorism charges – against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and dozens of his party leader for their alleged attack on policemen outside Federal Judicial Complex a day ago.
Ramna Police Station House Officer (SHO) Malik Rashid Ahmed registered an FIR at the Islamabad Counter Terrorism Department against the former prime minister and other PTI leaders.
The complaint invoked sections 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 380 (theft in dwelling house, etc), 395 (punishment for dacoity), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage to amount of one hundred rupees), 440 (mischief committed after preparation made for causing death or hurt) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Toshakhana case: Court suspends Imran Khan's non-bailable arrest warrant
It also included Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997. In the FIR, SHO Ahmed said that the PTI chief along with 17 other PTI leaders violated Section 144 — imposed in Islamabad yesterday — and blocked the road for traffic.
The police have named PTI secretary general Asad Umar, former NA deputy speaker Asad Qaiser, Hammad Azhar, Ali Amin Gandapur, Ali Nawaz Awan, Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz, Hassaan Niazi, Omer Ayub Khan, Amjad Khan Niazi, Khurram Nawaz, Jamshed Mughal, Aamir Kayani, Farrukh Habib, Dr Shehzad Waseem, Umer Sultan and Imran’s Chief Security Officer lieutenant colonel Muhammad Asim (retd).
The FIR also named 18 people involved in causing damage to the FJC, 22 others involved in causing damage in the FJC’s parking area and lighting up fires, and 19 others involved in allegedly injuring police officials. It also mentioned that stones, lighters and bottles filled with petrol were recovered from some of them. SHO Ahmed said that PTI workers were armed with stones which they threw at a chec kpost of the Dhok Kashmirian police station. They also burnt down barriers and tents at the check post.
“The charged crowd then surrounded the Judicial Complex from four sides, broke down its main gate, and then stoned the building until its windows were shattered,” the complaint stated.
It added that another group of PTI leaders set 16 government and police vehicles and four motorcycles in the parking of the JDC on fire. “They also took 9mm pistols, Rs20,000, and a wireless set from the car.” The protesters, the FIR went on to say, snatched eight anti-riot kits from the policemen, hit police officers with sticks, and hurled stones at them.
In an update, the Islamabad police said a terrorism case was registered against PTI protesters at the CTD Police Station in capital.
It added that 60 individuals were arrested and presented in court with more raids under way for further arrests.
Earlier, the Islamabad police said it had issued directives to estimate the damage done by PTI supporters outside the Judicial Complex.
The PTI workers and the police personnel clashed on Saturday on the occasion of ex-prime minister’s appearance before a local court in Toshakhana case after the police erected stopped Khan’s supporters from accompanying him to the court premises.
In the violent confrontation, a contingent of law enforcers and PTI supporters used anti-riot gear against each other with teargas used from both sides to push the opposing side back.
Meanwhile, the PTI on Sunday announced it would file cases against the police officials involved in the “illegal operation” at Imran’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore, a day after the Punjab police had broken into his house.
In a tweet today, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said, “Flouting court orders is unforgivable. The Lahore High Court should guard its decisions. All those police officers who conducted the illegal operation and got involved in torture — we are filing cases against them.”
He added that a meeting of the party’s legal team has been called today to discuss the action plan moving forward. The PTI leader further said: “The way the police entered Imran Khan’s residence flouting Lahore High Court’s verdict — all rules of home privacy were trampled, theft was done, even juice boxes were picked and taken away, innocent people were made a target of torture, whatever happened in Islamabad (as well) — all these incidents are an offshoot of the ongoing constitutional crisis in Pakistan.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023