RAWALPINDI: Police have registered two FIRs against PTI founder Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, central leadership and over 300 workers of the party on the charges of criminal conspiracy and inciting people to protest.

In the first FIR registered at the Dhamial police station on Sunday, the police accused Imran Khan, his wife, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, former president Dr Arif Alvi, Omer Ayub, Sheryar Riaz, Atif Riaz, Hammad Azhar, Khurshid Khan and Asad Qasir of refusing to withdraw the call for the November 24 protest.

Police also detained 26 supporters of the PTI, including Ajmal and Nayyar Abbas of Chakwal.

Five of the detainees, who were teenagers, were discharged while the remaining 21 were remanded in police custody for five days.

Likewise, the Sadiqabad police arrested 27 PTI supporters who were later remanded in police custody for three days.

The number of PTI supporters detained by the police has reached 170 during the last four days.

Number of PTI supporters arrested in last four days reaches 170 in Rawalpindi; two police officials beaten up and injured by protesters

In Sadiqabad, two police officials were injured and beaten up allegedly by PTI supporters who also tore their uniform, snatched their anti-riot tools, including helmets, jackets and purses containing cash and CNICs.

A tear gas gun carried by Fazal Abbas, head constable, was broken after being snatched by the mob. However, the police narrowly escaped a mob attack.

Islamabad and Rawalpindi had already been put under a lockdown since Sunday with all highways and link roads leading to the federal capital blocked and thousands of police and paramilitary personnel deployed in an attempt to prevent the PTI supporters from marching to Islamabad.

Imran Khan, imprisoned in the Central Jail Adiala, has made a “final call” to his supporters to descend on Islamabad to demand his release and protest against amendments to the constitution and changes in the judiciary.

Police said Aleema Khan, sister of Imran Khan, while talking to media outside the Adiala jail on November 22 called upon people to come out for their “Azadi” on November 24.

On November 19, Bushra Bibi issued a video message and delivered Imran Khan’s direction to party MNAs to bring 5000 participants each and MPAs 1000 protesters each for the march to Islamabad.

“Despite the Punjab government’s imposition of Section 144 on Nov 22, Imran Khan Niazi, founder of PTI and its central leadership, Bushra Bibi, Ali Amin Gandapur, Dr Arif Alvi, Awab Alvi, Omer Ayub, Sheryar Riaz, Atif Riaz, Hammad Azhar, Khurshid Khan and Asad Qasir refused to withdraw the protest call,” said the FIR.

It added that on the conspiracy of Ajmal Sabir Raja, Chaudhry Ameer Afzal, Chaudhry Mohammad Nazir, Ziad Khalique Kiani and Tariq Aziz Bhatti, who were leading the protesters, Chaudhry Javaid Kausar, Farrukh Mahmood Sial, Shahzada Khan, Khawaja Mohammad Aslam, Raja Sohail Kiani, Rashid Mehmood Minhas, Chaudhry Tikka Khan, Raja Azhar, Chaudhary Shahid Hamid, Raja Saqib, Mohammad Tauqeer, Babar Shahzad, Azhar Abbas, Mudassar, Afsar Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Tajamal Ijaz, Nayyar Abbas, Adeel Abbas, Nigah Hussain, Saleem Manzar, Mateenul Hassan Dadu Iqbal, Saqib Zia, Tanveer Iqbal, Imdadullah, Mehmood Khan, Abdullah Amin and Mohammad Usama along with 100 to 200 unidentified people blocked Dhamial Road by setting old tyres on fire.

Police said a police team was on duty when armed PTI workers started shouting slogans, “Khan Nahee to Pakistan Nahee” etc. The protesters blocked the road causing problems, disrupting and endangering public life.

The protesters were told that gathering of the public had already been banned as the government had imposed Section 144, but they ignored and instead of dispersing started scuffling with police and opened fire on the police, but the officials escaped unhurt.

However, a police van was damaged due to firing which also created panic and fear in the area. The protesters dispersed while pelting stones on the police.

The Dhamial police registered the FIR on the complaint of Mohammad Asif, SI, under 15 sections of the law, including section 7-ATA , criminal conspiracy, obstructing police from performing duty, blocking road and other relevant sections of the law.

Another FIR was registered with the Sadiqabad police on the complaint of Ghulam Mustafa, sub-inspector, against the PTI founder in which the KP chief minister, Bushara Bibi and Aleema Khan were booked under section 7 of Anti-Terrorism Act.

In the FIR, the police accused the PTI founder of inciting people and hatching a criminal conspiracy. The police said local PTI leaders Raja Basharat, Sardar Nasir Ali Khan, Zubair Khan, Malik Tahleel, Behroz Kamal Raja, Seemabia Tahir, Rashid Hafeez, Zafar Altaf Satti, Zain Satti, Shahyar Riaz, Asad Abbas, Malik Taimoor Aslam Raja, Raja Shahbaz and others appeared in Dhoke Kala Khan and stormed a chicken market.

A reinforcement of police was called when about 100 PTI supporters led by Seemabia Tahir shouting slogans appeared on the road and pelted police with stones injuring two officials.

The police recovered batons, catapults, stones and party flags from those detained.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2024