KASUR: B-Division police on Sunday booked more than 300 unidentified protesters in two FIRs for ransacking the offices of local parliamentarians of the ruling party and setting ablaze vehicles and valuables during violent agitation here on Jan 11, following rape and murder of seven-year-old Zainab.

The first FIR was lodged on the complaint of Amir Shahzad under sections 427, 435, 380, 148 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) against over 150 unidentified protesters.

The complainant said in the FIR that on Jan 11 a mob stormed the office of PML-N MPA Naeem Safdar Ansari located on Shahbaz Khan Road after breaking the lock of its main gate and snatched weapon from a security guard on Jan 11.

The protesters set on fire two costly cars, a motorcycle, air conditioners, fans, furniture, 3 LCDs and documents lying in the MPA’s office. He said the protesters ransacked four rooms in the building, breaking its doors and window panes, besides taking away Rs800,000 cash and a licenced gun.

The second FIR lodged on the complaint of Abid Amin was about ransacking of the office of MNA Waseem Akhtar situated also on Shahbaz Khan Road under the same sections.

The complainant said more than 150 protesters forced their entry into the MNA’s office and ransacked and torched furniture and documents stored there.

No arrest has so far been made by the police in this connection.

Police were trying to identify the protesters through the footage obtained from the CCTV cameras installed outside both the offices.

Sources close to the parliamentarians say that most of the protesters were “outsiders”, while the locals resorting to violence have also been identified. They allege political motives behind the violent agitation.

According to some eyewitnesses, the protesters were incited to violence by unidentified people who directed their anger over the tragic incident towards the ruling party lawmakers.

Charged protesters, during the three-day agitation after the recovery of the victim’s body on Jan 9, also attacked the district headquarters hospital, Sadar police station, DC office and various vehicles.

Four police officials had already been booked for allegedly killing two protesters at the DC office. Investigations into the killings are underway.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2018