ISLAMABAD: The capital police have registered two more cases against protesters who chanted slogans against the army, judges and damaged public and private properties.

The protests started on the call of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) which ended after three days following an agreement with the government on Friday evening.

Two cases were earlier registered against the protesters in the capital.

On Saturday, the federal government ordered a “crackdown” against “miscreants” involved in damaging public and private properties, including vehicles.

The directives were issued by Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi after he was given a briefing by different agencies on damages caused to properties during the protest over the Oct 31 Supreme Court verdict acquitting Aasia Bibi in a blasphemy case, said an official announcement.

It added that cases would be registered against “all those miscreants who under the guise of peaceful protests caused destruction to properties and harmed unarmed citizens”.

FIA cybercrime wing told to obtain forensic data of all those involved in damaging public and private properties during protests

The ministry welcomed the stance taken by ulema that they were not involved in any violence and “miscreants” had caused destruction to public and private properties.

Efforts are being made to identify the miscreants with the help of video footage and cases would be registered for legal action against them.

It said the cybercrime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had been directed to monitor and investigate provocative material being circulated on social media.

The head of the cybercrime wing and the PTA chairman have been instructed to obtain “forensic data of the miscreants”.

A senior officer of Rawalpindi police said 243 protesters had been arrested in the district. He said 18 FIRs had been registered under different sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance.

“Those who were booked under 3-MPO have been released from Adiala jail while 32 people booked on the charges of violating section 144 will be tried for damaging public and private properties,” he said.

Any individual spotted in video footage damaging properties will be picked and tried in the same FIRs registered against unidentified people, he added.

The fresh cases in Islamabad were registered in the Industrial Area and Bhara Kahu police stations under the charges of terrorism and violence.

In the FIR registered with the Industrial Area police, 12 people were nominated on the charges of chanting slogans against armed forces, judges and damaging a police checkpost at the Faizabad Interchange.

The Bhara Kahu police registered the second case nominating 13 people.

The FIR said about 100 to 150 people blocked the road and violated section 144.

A police official said not only more cases could be registered but also the nominated people would be arrested soon.

“As we have got a go ahead from the government we will ensure that all miscreants are identified and arrested so that no one would damage any public or private property in future,” he said.

In Rawalpindi, the police on Sunday released 211 protesters arrested during the protests.

However, 32 TLP activists are still behind bars. The police with the help of Special Branch have started identifying those involved in violence and damaging property.

The Rawalpindi police official said no section of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) was being added to the FIRs registered against the protesters as they were not involved in any terrorist activity.

He said none of the police officials was injured during the protests but three protesters were wounded and hospitalised after a clash between two religious groups at the Chakri Interchange.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2018