SHO arrested for helping PTI ex-MPA evade arrest

PESHAWAR: A police official has been arrested while a couple of others are being investigated for allegedly helping a former lawmaker of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in evading arrest after he was charged with leading violent protests against the arrest of ousted prime minister Imran Khan last week.

Officials said a case was registered against the station house officer Gulbarg Fawad Ali at his own police station. The SHO has been arrested as well for allegedly making phone calls to a former member of the provincial assembly Malik Wajid to go into hiding and switch off the phone to evade arrest.

The Gulbarg police was tasked with arresting all those including ex-MPAs in their area for involvement in violent protests. Instead, an official said, the police were found cooperating with the accused mentioned in these cases.

New Capital City Police Officer Ashfaq Anwar confirmed the lodging of a first information report against the SHO. Another official said the phone record of a few other cops was being investigated to find if they had colluded with protestors and their leaders in facilitating their escape from arrest.

Police in Peshawar and other districts are conducting raids to arrest all those involved in violent protests or leading the mobs last week.

Over 500 protestors, including PTI workers, have been arrested after violence and attacks on public and private properties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Around 340 others were held under the Maintenance of Public Order.

But surprisingly, not a single lawmaker or senior leader of PTI could be arrested from across KP after the attacks. In several areas, the sources said, police either avoided their arrest or even helped them in some cases.

A senior official claimed that 247 of the miscreants were arrested on the spot when they attacked and torched public and private properties, including police and army establishments in Peshawar and different other parts of the province last week.

“All the senior officers were directed to remain on the spot and supervise the situation. This was why no one could enter the red zone in Peshawar or any other district,” said Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan.

Over 250 arrests were made later during raids on the houses of the suspects after they were identified with the help of the CCTV footages, mobile videos or mentioned as accomplices by those held from the spot.

Raids are being conducted daily to arrest all those involved in violent attacks. All those carrying guns, pistols or torching public and private properties are being specifically identified through these footages.

Seven people had lost lives while over 106 civilians and 36 policemen were wounded in Peshawar and other districts of KP during the two days of violent protests by the PTI workers. Four were killed in Peshawar, two in Kohat and one in Lower Dir.