The Punjab police on Saturday registered 12 first information reports (FIRs) against several leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) including its president Shahbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shahbaz under Section-7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act besides other serious charges.
Sources said the police department has registered at least 12 FIRs against workers and supporters of the PML-N who took to the streets and tried to reach premises of the Lahore Airport and the city to welcome their leader Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz upon their arrival here from London on Friday night.
According to FIRs, the copies of which are available with Business Recorder, the police registered at least 12 criminal cases against many prominent leaders of the PML-N. Out of the total registered FIRs in Lahore only, the police included Section-7 of the ATA in four FIRs which were registered at Lohari Gate police station, Civil Lines police station, Nawab Town police station and North Cantt police station.
The FIR which was registered at the Lahori Gate police station nominates former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, Hamza Shahbaz, Saira Afzal Tarar, Uzma Bukhari, Maryam Aurangzaib, Haji Hanif, Kamran Maikal, Colonel retired Mubashir Javed, Kabir Taj, Musadiq Malik, Mushahid Hussain Syed, Bilal Yasin, Ghazali Saleem Butt, Waheed Alam Khan, Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, Javed Hashmi, Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, Talal Chaudhry and Mian Ikhlaq. All the accused have been charged with Section-324, 440, 353, 186, 188, 291, 290, 506, 148 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Section-7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
"When the PML-N rally reached near Lohari Gate (Circular Road), the party workers blocked the road and started shouting slogans and created serious rumpus. They also broke all security barriers and climbed on the containers coming on their way, resulting in 'huge loss' to the 'containers', the FIR states.
Subsequently, the PML-N leadership forcefully diverted the route of its rally towards the airport. "When the cops tried to stop the rally, the workers hurled stones at the cops "with intent to kill them," the FIR says, maintaining that the cops "remained safe" due to their safety kits.
It further claimed that the workers also caused "great" losses to government assets and continued giving life threats to the police personnel. The workers violated the Election Commission's code of conduct and created a wave of "unrest" by blocking major thoroughfares, says the FIR.
In another FIR which was registered at the North Cantonment police station, the police charged PML-N leader Muhammad Wajid, son of Muhammad Lateef, Gulfam, Muhammad Hafeez, Ghulam Mustafa, Yaseen Sohail, Ehtesham Javed, Ali Raza, Muhammad Jalil, Ali Raza, Naeem Hussain and Ghulam Dastgir with Section-324, 440, 353, 186, 290, 291, 506, 188, 148, 149 and 341 of the PPC and Section-6 of the Punjab Sound Systems (Regulation) Act 2015 and Section-7 of the ATA.
The police officials in the FIR contended that when they were performing their special duties at Jorray Pul, a PML-N rally led by former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi reached there and stopped them because the Punjab caretaker government had imposed Section-144 in the city. At the time of interception, the FIR claims that some vehicles (having big sound system) in the rally were playing anti-judiciary and anti-state material to ignite public sentiments.
"When we advised them to stop playing anti-judiciary and anti-state material and stop spreading hatred because of the imposition of Section-144, the workers attacked us with stones and broken glass bottles and wanted to kill us. In the clash, DSP Qaiser Mushtaq and his gunman also injured besides other officials who were called as backup," reads the FIR.
The FIR says that the workers broke screens and caused great loss to nearby public transports and created the huge panic among the public due to clashes. To control the situation, the police personnel fired teargas and successfully dispersed the workers, it adds. It is worth mentioning that many FIRs have also been registered in various parts of the province.
Meanwhile, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operations) Lahore Shahzad Akbar also confirmed to reporters that they have registered 12 FIRs against the PML-N workers for taking law into their hands on Friday night and violating the Election Commission's code of conduct.
After the Mastung suicide attack, he said, the security arrangements in the city have been put on high-alert and search and sweep operation are being conducted to apprehend non-state actors. According to the DIG, the surveillance at entry and exit points of the city has also been enhanced to keep an eye on suspicious activity. "After the Mastung blast, the contesting candidates must avoid corner meetings," he warned.
"Similarly, the security agencies also advised leadership of all political parties to limit their political activities ahead of polls," DIG Akbar said and appealed to the people to immediately report to the police at their helpline (15) or simply send a message to 8330 in case they observe something suspicious. "Presently, the country is in a state of war," he added.