PESHAWAR/RAWALPINDI: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who himself led the protesters from the province, returned to Peshawar after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest in Rawalpindi was “called off” amid violent clashes between protesters and riot police near Liaquat Bagh on Saturday.
People close to Ali Amin Gandapur said that he first got stuck on the motorway at Burhan Interchange due to blockades set up by the Punjab government to prevent the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers from entering there, and then all of the protesters were stopped near Taxila by the police.
Despite their hectic efforts, the PTI workers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could not reach their destination in Rawalpindi to participate in the public rally apparently due to stiff resistance from the police on the motorway near Taxila.
The PTI workers from across KP, including tribal districts, were on their way to attend the public rally organised at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi.
According to Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, Adviser to Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations, and another senior party official Shaukat Yousafzai, they decided to return to Peshawar from Taxila where, according to them, the Punjab police were deployed and they fired shots at the PTI workers. “Besides heavy use of teargas, the Punjab police fired straight into the crowd on the motorway, causing bullet injuries to more than 60 PTI workers. The injured workers were transported to Peshawar for treatment and rescue workers told us that the injuries were apparently caused by bullets,” Shaukat Yousafzai, a former provincial minister, told The News.
However, according to sources, Ali Amin Gandapur decided to return from Taxila and announced an end to the public rally after PTI Chairman Barrister Ali Gohar approached him and advised him to take care of the party workers. “Ali Amin Gandapur didn’t want the party workers to suffer any losses and that’s why he decided to call off the protest. Also, the time given to us for the public rally in Rawalpindi was over by 7:15pm,” said Shaukat Yousafzai.
He said the Punjab government had blocked the Peshawar-Islamabad motorway at different places and parked heavy containers and trucks to stop them from their peaceful protest in Rawalpindi. He said the police had also arrested a number of party workers.
Barrister Saif said they would continue their peaceful protest which, he argued, was their legal fundamental right. He said they would again hold a protest rally next week on the directions of Imran Khan. According to the party leadership, Chief Minister Gandapur did not deliver a speech to the party workers in Taxila due to firing and teargas shelling.
Earlier in the day, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Salman Akram Raja were also detained on their way to Rawalpindi near Sector H-13 only to be released shortly. In a statement, the PTI said Gohar and Salman were travelling to Rawalpindi when the police stopped their vehicle near Sector H-13 and took them into custody. “They [law enforcers] took both the leaders in a van.”
Following his release, the PTI chief while speaking to Geo News said that the police asked them to go back “instead of heading to Rawalpindi”.
PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram, meanwhile, alleged that the Punjab government and the Centre wanted to spread chaos, as their protest was against inflation and mandate thieves, and in support of an independent judiciary. He demanded immediate release of party workers and said that to stage “peaceful protest is our constitutional right, our leaders always teach respect for the Constitution and law and the same was demonstrated in Islamabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi.”
Immediately after the protest call, he claimed, the houses of PTI MNAs and MPAs, including his, were raided and leaders arrested at many places. He said all roads leading to the Liaquat Bagh were blocked on Saturday morning. Even small streets were closed. People were tortured, shelled and baton-charged. He charged that peaceful people were shot at and some of party office-bearers got injured as well. He alleged that the Punjab and central governments wanted to spread chaos.
Meanwhile, common citizens faced a difficult situation on Saturday due to tear gas shelling, firing of rubber bullets and the blockades at all entry and exit points of Rawalpindi. The district administration completely sealed off the city by placing large containers, trucks, buses, wagons, carts and barbed wires ahead of the PTI protest at Liaquat Bagh.
All business activities, including petrol pumps and banks on Murree Road, were shut down due to the road closures. Not only was the metro bus service suspended, but all private transport was also off the roads. Public sector offices were deserted, with a thin presence of officials, as over 80 percent of them were unable to reach their offices due to the blocked roads. Murree Road resembled a ‘Red Zone,’ with only police and Rangers moving freely, while common citizens could not. No traffic was allowed to enter the city, creating severe difficulties for residents. Thousands of police officers were deployed at various locations.
Liaquat Bagh was completely sealed off, and Section 144 was imposed citywide, prohibiting any gatherings, protests or display of weapons. Even critically ill patients were prevented from reaching hospitals. Police and Rangers appeared to have full control over the city. Police freely fired tear gas on Murree Road, causing panic among ordinary citizens, particularly women, who had no involvement in the PTI protest. Many were seen running for safety.
To maintain law and order, authorities imposed Section 144 across the division from September 28 to 29, prohibiting gatherings, political rallies, and display of weapons. The PTI has called for protests on September 29 at various locations, including Liaquat Bagh.
Since Friday night, police had initiated a series of raids and door-to-door searches to arrest PTI leaders and active supporters, attempting to prevent them from participating in the protests.
All major intersections in the city had been closed. Murree Road was completely sealed off, as are all entry points it, including Liaquat Bagh Chowk, Committee Chowk and Asghar Mall Chowk. Additionally, Chandni Chowk, Rahmanabad Chowk, Sadiqabad Chowk and Shamsabad Double Road Chowk had been closed. All small streets leading to Murree Road had been barricaded with barbed wire. Two government offices located at Liaquat Bagh had also been shut down, and all educational institutions on Liaquat Road, Iqbal Road and Sixth Road were closed.
Hotels on Liaquat and Iqbal roads had been vacated. The metro bus service remained completely suspended. Key entry points to Rawalpindi, including those from Tarnol GT Road, the motorway, and Rawat GT Road, were also sealed off. Similarly, routes from Murree, Kotli Sattian, Kahuta, and Taxila to Rawalpindi were closed.
Meanwhile, Geo News correspondent, Haider Sherazi, covering the PTI protest was beaten up by the local police and taken into custody. Sherazi was covering the former ruling party’s protest at Islamabad toll plaza, where PTI workers and supporters clashed with the police.
The journalist introduced himself to the charged cops many times, however, they kept beating him up along with other journalists and snatched their mobile phones. Sherazi received wounds on his face and head due to the police torture. The journalists were beaten up by the on-duty police officials when they filmed PTI protesters who opened a blocked route after resisting the cops.
Speaking to Geo News, Punjab Inspector General (IG) Usman Anwar assured that the issue of police maltreatment of journalists would be addressed. Pointing towards clashes between the PTI workers and police teams, Anwar said that the incident might have occurred due to the tense situation in Rawalpindi. He added that he has contacted the Rawalpindi city police officer (CPO) to resolve the issue at the earliest. Following the Punjab police chief’s directives, CPO Rawalpindi Khalid Hamdani ordered the suspension of officials involved in torturing the journalists.