CHITRAL: The Lower Chitral police booked over 30 workers of Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf on charges of criminal conspiracy to instigate people against the state and the government, creating hatred and enmity in the society.

A police official told Dawn that the local leaders and workers of PTI had assembled in a house in Denin village to celebrate the birth anniversary of their party chief Imran Khan, and during the cake-cutting ceremony, they chanted slogans, which were ‘rebellious and rabble-rousing’ in nature.

The FIR lodged against PTI district president Abdul Latif and 30 workers under sections 120-A, 143 and 153-B of PPC, charged them with attempting to create despondency against the state and disparage the image of the state institutions.

The police raided the venue of the ceremony, but most of the participants had made good their escape.

However, the police arrested some workers, including Sajjad Ahmed, Aminul Hassan, Qasim Khan and Altaf Gohar Advocate. Later, they were produced in a court. The judge, however, sent them to the judicial lockup, turning down the police request for their physical remand.

PTI district president Abdul Latif later obtained the bail-before-arrest from the court of district and sessions judge till October 11, while the rest of the workers and leaders are said to have gone missing.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2023