RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi police have registered cases against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) top leaders and workers under the Anti-terrorism Act (ATA) and other serious criminal charges.
Senior police officers, including the Regional Police Officer (RPO) Babar Sarfraz, held a joint press conference with the Rawalpindi CPO and Attock DPO to detail the events.
According to the police, 28 cases have been filed in the Rawalpindi Division. The police confirmed that high-profile figures had been named in the cases, highlighting the extent of the alleged involvement, including former prime minister Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, Aleema Khan, former president Dr Arif Alvi, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaisar and former federal minister Hammad Azhar, alongside hundreds of workers.
The top cops said that the PTI’s protest call on November 24 turned violent, resulting in numerous arrests and injuries.
The RPO said that despite assurances of a peaceful protest, thousands of PTI demonstrators engaged in violent acts upon entering Rawalpindi. They pelted police with stones, threw tear gas canisters, and attacked officers.
The police exercised significant restraint despite the violence. The demonstrators repeatedly announced their intention to march towards Adiala Jail. This protest followed previous calls for demonstrations by the same political party.
The RPO reported that 170 police officers in the Rawalpindi division were injured, 25 cops critical among them. He said that two sustained gunshot wounds. The total number of police injured across the region on Nov 24 reached 262, including SSPs and DSPs.
Remarkably, the police reported no injuries among the protestors.
A total of 1,151 protestors were arrested, including 64 Afghan nationals. Authorities seized weapons, ball bearings and spiked clubs from the arrested Afghans; only four possessed valid identification cards. The remaining Afghans were deemed to be in the country illegally.
The protestors are accused of arson, damaging property, and directly firing upon police in Attock. Police reported 11 vehicles were set ablaze, and 32 cases have been registered in the Rawalpindi region.
The RPO emphasised that Rawalpindi had experienced relative peace and stability in recent months, making this level of violence particularly concerning. The police specifically highlighted the involvement of a militant wing within the protestors.
The police sources said that 20 case have been registered in seven police stations of Rawalpindi Division including in Hazro Police Station four cases, Hasanabdal Police Station seven cases, Dhamial one case, Wah Cantt two case, Sadiqabad Police Stations two cases, New Town one case, Taxila two case, Fateh Jang Police Stations two cases, Chakwal one case and Airport Police Stations one case. The cases have been registered under the allegations of terrorism, attempted murder, vandalism, arson, rioting, attacks on police personnel, and blocking roads.
The cases were registered between Nov 24 and Nov 27, following violent incidents during the protests.
The PTI workers have been accused of damaging property, setting fires, creating chaos and assaulting law enforcement officials.
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