MARDAN, Sept 23: Three police officials have been suspended on the instructions of NWFP Chief Minister Akram Durrani while an FIR has also been registered against three other policemen in connection with the baton-charge on JUI workers on the occasion of Federal Minister Norez Shakoor’s visit to Mardan on Monday, MMA’s provincial general secretary Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan says.

Speaking at a press conference at the local press club on Tuesday, Maulana Gul Naseeb condemned the baton-charge, saying that it was like setting a bad precedent.

He said that ASP Ahmed Jamal, DSP Khalq Khan and SHO Shaukat Khan were suspended by the chief minister and FIR was registered against DSP (headquarters) Islam Khan, SHO Qayyum Khan and ASI Sardaraz Khan.

He said that an inquiry commission, headed by additional district and sessions judge, had been constituted to investigate the matter. It had been tasked to submit its report to the government as early as possible, he added.

MMA MNA Shujaul Mulk, provincial ministers Sardar Idrees, Hafiz Akhtar Ali and MPA Fazal Hadi were also present on this occasion.

Ten people, including a constable, were injured when police baton charged workers of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) on Monday.

JUI-F activists blocked the main road and protested against the visit to the area of Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Norez Shakoor, who had come to inaugurate natural gas supply to Par Hoti locality and a madressa run by the JUI (Sami).

The protesters said that neither the government nor the JUI-S had taken them into confidence about the minister’s visit and inauguration of gas supply.

They demanded that the minister should go back without performing the ceremony.

However, the police resorted to baton-charge to disperse the workers and open the road, resulting in injuries to many people, 10 of whom, including a head constable, were stated to be under treatment in a hospital.

The minister was taken through an alternative route to the venue where he inaugurated the gas supply and attended a briefing.

A large number of JUI-F workers gathered at the hospital to inquire after their colleagues.

They made announcements over loudspeakers in the Mayar village, calling upon the people to reach the venue of the ceremony.

Some JUI-F activists allegedly fired in the air near the madressa.