ISLAMABAD/ RAwALPINDI - Islamabad police have rounded up as many as 198 PTI leaders, workers and supporters for their alleged involvement in arson, attacking law enforcement agencies personnel and vandalising state property in federal capital on March 18, the day former premier faced a court of law in Toshakhana case, informed a police spokesman on Monday. Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Islamabad police have booked former Prime Minister Imran Khan along with 76 others under terrorism charges for storming in capital, injuring cops, torching police vehicles and stoning judicial complex on March 18.
Meanwhile, Rawalpindi police also booked more than 200 leaders and workers of PTI including former MPs on charges of violating section 144 and started conducting raids to arrest the accused. According to police spokesman, the police and other law enforcement agencies were maintaining law and order following directions of court to protect ex-PM Imran Khan who was to appear before court in Toshakhana case.
He said that the violent mobs of PTI started pouring from all sides and went into clashes with police besides pelting cops with stones and setting scores of mobile vans of police a blaze. Police retaliated and fired tear gas shells to disperse the irate protestors. He said that a case was registered against scores of PTI leaders and workers with CTD Police Station and police station Golra and as many as 198 PTI protesters involved in arson and vandalism had been arrested. He said that raids were being conducted to arrest others. The process of the identification of all the accused involved in the incident is underway with the help of CCTV footages and other camera videos. He further said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan appeared before the judicial complex in the Toshakhana case, which led to violent protests resulting in injuries to 58 law enforcement personnel, including the SSP Operations Islamabad and SHO PS Koral SI Shafqat Faiz got injured.
The protesters resorted to arson, vandalism, and attacked law enforcement officials who were performing their duties to maintain law and order in the capital. In response, Islamabad Capital Police conducted various operations against the elements involved in these violent acts and arrested 243 suspects so far and formed special police teams to conduct raids in order to arrests such elements. To make legal action against the accused involved in arson and vandalism more effective, the Islamabad Capital Police have registered cases of violent incidents in CTD and Golra police stations. During the protests, four police vehicles were completely burnt, nine vehicles were partially damaged, and 25 motorcycles were burnt in the arson by the protesters. All the miscreants involved in these violent acts will be brought to justice. However, to damage the ongoing legal proceedings against the elements involved in these actions, an organized propaganda campaign is being run on social media against the Islamabad capital police and other law enforcement agencies. The police strongly deny these allegations and state that they are performing their duties within the scope of the law.
The law is equal for everyone, and action will be taken against the elements involved in violent acts without any discrimination. Islamabad police requests parents to keep their children away from potential mobs and cooperate with law enforcement agencies in identifying these elements. Federal Minister for Interior, Rana Sanaullah Khan, has issued orders to compensate the loss of valuables of police personnel in a timely manner.
Following these directions, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Dr. Akbar Nasir Khan will provide new motorcycles to nine policemen. Islamabad Capital Police are committed to taking all possible measures for the welfare of its officers and jawans and protecting the life and property of citizens while maintaining law and order in the federal capital Islamabad. On the other hand, Naseerabad police booked as many as 200 PTI workers and leaders including Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Fiaz ul Hassan Chohan, wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, Umer Tanvir Butt, Ch Afzal Paryal, Raja Muhammad Basharat, Ch Javed Kausar and Arif Abbasi on charges of interfering into police matters and violating section 144. Raids are being carried out to arrest the accused who reportedly went into hide while some of them managed to obtained pre-arrest bails from court of law. Reportedly, Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench ordered Rawalpindi police to release all detained workers of PTI held for staging protest against police action in Zaman Park.