PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s social media team is understood to have established an office within the provincial headquarters of Rescue 1122 here, allegedly in violation of the chief secretary’s directives.

The move is meant to monitor processions to be led by the ruling party’s MNAs and MPAs for the Nov 24 march on Islamabad, according to insiders.

They told Dawn that Rescue 1122 had provided three rooms and one conference room to the PTI’s 25-strong social media team, equipped with drones, laptops, and advanced communication tools.

The sources said that the team was led by Nauman Afzal, who reportedly headed the social media team of Bushra Bibi, the wife of incarcerated PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan.

It will monitor processions by lawmakers for Nov 24 march on Islamabad, say insiders

They said the party had tasked the team with monitoring the protesters to be brought in by members of the national and provincial assemblies.

The sources said that Bushra Bibi, on the orders of the party founder, asked each MNA and MPA to mobilise 10,000 and 5,000 workers respectively for the Islamabad protest, film their respective processions, and share their videos with the party.

On Thursday, chief secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry formally directed government officials in the province to “resist any pressure or temptation for misusing official resources, assets, or authority in support of any political party.”

“You must all refrain from providing direct or indirect support to any political party or activity, whether through your person, subordinates or the resources at your disposal,” Mr Chaudhry told officials through a letter.

He insisted that “compliance to political leadership” was limited to the execution of lawful orders aligned with the Constitution and that officers were expected to observe professional code of conduct and uphold political neutrality at all costs.

The PTI, which has been ruling the province for the last nine years, has repeatedly used the resources of Rescue 1122 for its activities.

During its Oct 5 march on Islamabad, the Punjab police arrested Rescue 1122’s 41 personnel and seized its 17 vehicles as they accompanied a procession from KP to Islamabad.

The detainees, including firefighters, emergency medical technicians and drivers, were deputed with the PTI rally bound from Peshawar for D-Chowk in Islamabad’s Red Zone.

The impounded Rescue 1122 vehicles included seven fire trucks, three water bowsers, six ambulances, and one crane.

Sources told Dawn that more than 40 Rescue 1122 vehicles, including ambulances, fire tenders, and heavy machinery, also accompanied the procession taken out by PTI from Peshawar for participating in the protest at D-Chowk, Islamabad.

The protest procession was led by provincial Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

The sources said that around 120 rescue personnel would also be part of the vehicular convoy of the chief minister.

The sources said that besides the arrested Rescue 1122 officials and impounded vehicles, the rest of the personnel and vehicles reached Peshawar.

The detainees were released on Nov 1.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2024