ISLAMABAD: The number of cases registered against the leadership and activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek rose to 11 as six more FIRs were registered against them during the last 48 hours.

Besides, a section of murder was added to a case already registered with the Secretariat police against the two parties for storming the Parliament House on Saturday night during which two persons lost their lives.

The Secretariat police also arrested 103 activists of the PTI and PAT and produced them in the Anti-Terrorism Court from where they were sent on judicial remand.

The section of murder was added to the FIR No 182 registered with the Secretariat police.

Murder charge added to FIR filed against PTI, PAT leaders, activists

The complainant of the case, Station House Officer (SHO) Secretariat Inspector Mehboob Ahmed stated that about 20,000 to 22,000 people, after consultation with their leaders including Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri, stormed the government buildings and ransacked them. “Ghulam Bhatti and Rafiullah, who were among the protesters, fell and received injuries due to commotion and later died in hospital.”

However, a police officer on the condition of anonymity added: “In the FIR the complainant stated that the two protesters were injured after falling but actually they died from bullets.”

Sources in Pims said autopsies on the bodies were conducted by a medical board constituted on the direction of the hospital’s administrator Dr Altaf Hussain. The sources claimed that the board was asked to either not mention the bullets, which had caused the deaths, or make confusing suggestions about the causes of the deaths in the final report.

As a result, the medical board came up with the suggestions that high velocity metal projectiles had caused the deaths.

Another case (FIR 183) was lodged against the marchers for storming and ransacking the PTV headquarters, making the staff hostage and disconnecting the broadcast of the state-run channel.

Similarly, a case (FIR 404) was registered with the Kohsar police against unidentified activists of the PTI and PAT for ransacking the PIA office at Fazal-i-Haq Road in Blue Area.

The FIR No 405 was registered with the Kohsar police against the marchers for pelting stones on the official vehicle of the Supreme Court judge, Justice Saqib Nisar. Constable Rab Nawaz, the driver of the judge, stated that the PTI and PAT activists threw stones at the vehicle on Faisal Avenue in Blue Area when he was coming back after dropping the judge at his residence.

The marchers were also implicated in the FIR No 406 registered with the Kohsar police for attacking Geo TV office in Blue area and threatening its staff with dire consequences.

The Bhara Kahu police registered a case (FIR 244) against the PTI activists for chanting slogans against the government and blocking Athal Chowk at Murree Road.

The Koral police registered a case (FIR 250) against the PAT and PTI workers for staging protests and chanting slogans against the government, blocking the road and damaging public and private property, including vehicles, traffic signals and signboards.

Likewise, the FIR No 367 was registered with the Aabpara police against the protesters for attacking a school at G-6/2. Maqsood Ahmed, a police sub-inspector, complained that about 100 to 150 PTI and PAT activists barged into the school building, where policemen called from other districts were staying. The protesters ransacked the school and damaged police vehicles.

The FIR No 184 was registered against the PTI leadership and activists for setting free an arrested person - MPA Iftikhar Ahmad Mashwani - from the lock-ups of the Secretariat police station.

The Margalla police registered two cases - FIR 604 and 605 - against PAT and PTI activists for beating and injuring policemen and snatching their anti-riot gears, including a teargas gun, and setting a motorcycle on fire at G-8/1 and throwing stones at a police bus.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2014