RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday suspended the membership of 10 office-bearers for beating up two party workers in Islamabad.

“The office-bearers and workers allegedly beat-up Imran Khan’s cousin Ahmed Niazi son of Dr Aslam Niazi,” a senior leader of PTI told Dawn.

On Monday, PTI Punjab and Rawalpindi office-bearers were stopped by two workers deployed on security duty for Imran Khan’s container at the sit-in in front of Parliament House.

On Tuesday, the men who were stopped returned to beat-up the two workers.

According to the suspension letter issued by the party, they included PTI Punjab North President Sadaqat Abbasi and PTI Rawalpindi President Arif Abbasi who along with three dozen others allegedly beat-up the two workers injuring them severely.

They received head injuries and had to be taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).

PTI Chairman Imran Khan took serious notice of the incident and forbade Sadaqat Abbasi and Arif Abbasi from coming to the sit-in. He formed a committee led by PTI Secretary General Jahangir Tareen to probe the matter.

After hearing both sides, Jahangir Tareen suspended the membership of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Punjab North President Sadaqat Abbasi, Rawalpindi President Arif Abbasi, Secretary General Rashid Hafeez, Wasiq Abbasi, President Youth Wing Rawalpindi District Faisal Mughal, President Youth Wing Rawalpindi City Sheikh Fahad, Secretary General Youth Wing Rawalpindi Chaudhry Asad, Omar Butt, Raja Majid and Daniyal of Youth Wing for 10 days.

Mr Tareen, in a letter, directed PTI leader Shahid Zulfiqar to investigate the matter and send a report within 10 days. The letter asked Shahid Zulfiqar to constitute a committee to establish facts and report back to Secretary General Office.

The suspended Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Punjab North president, Sadaqat Abbasi, confirmed the report.

However he denied that he was involved in the fight.

He told Dawn that some workers from the Rawalpindi chapter had been involved in the fight with the chairman’s security officials and being the president of the region, his membership had been suspended to ensure an impartial inquiry into the matter.

He said a committee had been formed and investigations have begun. Statements of all those involved in the incident are being recorded.

However, he refused to comment on reports that the cousin of party chairman was beaten up in the incident.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2014