KARACHI: Police have registered a case against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MNA Alamgir Khan for allegedly defaming security institutions and “abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce soldiers from their duty”.

The lawmaker had allegedly sprayed graffiti inside a cricket ground in Gulshan-i-Iqbal on Friday night.

The graffiti read: “I am neutral” with pictures of some animals, etc, in an apparent reference to PTI chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan, who had made similar remarks in public rallies.

The FIR was lodged under Sections 131 (Abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups, etc) and other sections of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Later, the police raided the lawmaker’s home in Gulshan-i-Iqbal to arrest him but he was not found there.

The raid drew a strong reaction from the party leaders, who described the police as the “militant wing” of the ruling party in Sindh — the Pakistan Peoples Party.

The police registered the FIR on behalf of the state through Gulshan SHO Mohammed Ashraf Jogi.

According to contents of the FIR reviewed by Dawn, the complainant said during his routine patrol on Friday he saw graffiti on Aero Club walls in which different animals were sprayed and there was written that ‘I am neutral’.

Besides, it was also written that ‘law of jungle is better’. A map was also drawn, which contained portrait of “goddess of law” holding a balance in her hand while in the other hand holding map of Pakistan. On one side of the balance, there were dollars. In the map of Pakistan, one uniformed person was seen.

The FIR stated that one of the pictures of the animals was of ‘Markhor’.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2022