Imran ‘exploiting facilities in jail to incite workers’, FIRs allege
• 13 cases lodged against PTI founder, leaders and workers in capital, surrounding areas
• Non-bailable warrants out for KP CM’s arrest; police get one-day remand of Imran’s sisters, Aleema and Uzma
ISLAMABAD / TAXILA: The FIRs registered against PTI leaders and workers in the federal capital allege that incarcerated ex-premier Imran Khan was able to “incite party workers to riots and violence against the state and state institutions” during the past three days due to the extraordinary facilities provided to him in jail.
In addition to 13 cases in Islamabad, Hassanabdal police have booked the PTI founding chairman, 63 other party leaders and over 3,000 workers on charges of sedition, terrorism and attempted murder, following clashes with police during its protest march on the capital.
The majority of the cases lodged in Islamabad claimed that Imran Khan had been “taking advantage of court orders” that circumvented the jail manual and provided him extraordinary facilities by allowing him to communicate with outsiders and have visitors.
Due to the arrangements, it was alleged, the ex-premier was continuously provoking his political workers against the state and its institutions, besides asking party leaders to lead a violent march, aimed at creating chaos and anarchy.
The FIRs also mentioned the protesters allegedly lobbed petrol bombs, besides hurling stones and marbles and opening fire on police.
The protesters announced that Imran Khan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had ordered them to reach D-Chowk, block it and disrupt government functions.
It was further alleged that PTI leaders Omer Ayub and Barrister Mohammad Saif incited protesters with their provocative speeches, Azam Swati provided funding and CM Gandapur provided public resources of KP province for the march on the federal capital.
FIRs
The 13 cases related to PTI protest and violence have been registered at Secretariat, CTD, Ramna, Sangjani, Golra, Karachi Company, Tarnol, Sumbal, Noon, Industrial Area, Kohsar and Aabpara police stations in Islamabad, while another case has been registered in Hassanabdal against Mr Khan, Uzma Khan, Aleema Khan, Mr Gandapur, Mr Ayub, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Shaukat Basra, Zain Qureshi, Naeem Haider, Azam Swati, Barrister Salman Akram Raja, KP assembly deputy speaker Surryia Bibi, KP minister Aqib Khan, ex-minister Wazir Zada as well over 11 members of the provincial assembly besides over 3,000 protesters.
The Hassanabdal police booked the 64 PTI leaders for attempted murder and abduction besides 20 other sections of Pakistan Penal Code and two sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).
According to the FIR, the PTI leaders had held meetings with Mr Khan in jail, who incited them to commit violence against the state, take the law into their hands and attack law enforcement agencies during their protest march towards Islamabad.
It was alleged that PTI supporters and the CM’s gunmen injured 26 cops, while protesters equipped with tear gas guns, rods and sticks refused to disperse despite being informed that Section 144 was in effect.
Instead, PTI activists removed barricades and attacked police, the FIR stated. One motorcycle and two official vehicles were damaged in the violence, while 26 cops who sustained injuries after being targeted by the rioters were hospitalised in Hassanabdal and Attock.
On the other hand, PTI activists who were taken into custody by the Attock police from Haro Bridge and Katti Pahari area of Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway were shifted to Rawalpindi, where they would be produced before an anti-terrorism court.
Warrants for KP CM’s arrest
On Monday, ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra also issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of KP CM Gandapur and PTI local leader Amir Masood Mughal over their failure to attend a case hearing.
The judge also granted one-day physical remand of Mr Khan’s sisters, Aleema and Uzma, in connection with D-Chowk violence to Kohsar police and extended the physical remand of Asad Qaiser’s brother, Adnan Khan, for seven days.
Earlier at the hearing, Niazullah Khan Niazi, counsel for the PTI, argued that the police had arrested Imran’s sisters on Oct 4, provided a copy of the FIR after a lapse of two days when they were produced before the court, hence the “arrest itself becomes unlawful”.
He also argued that Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act was invoked for chanting slogans.
The judge, however, approved one-day remand after the prosecutor informed the court that the remand was not being sought for making any recovery but for “technical questioning”.
Meanwhile, Judge Sipra also handed over physical custody of PTI leader Azam Khan Swati to police for three days and KP assembly lawmakers Anwer Zaib and Malik Liaqat for seven days in the riots case.
Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2024