RAWALPINDI, Oct 6: The city police on Monday booked Potohar Town Nazim Raja Hamid Nawaz, Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) Rawalpindi president Raja Nasir, their supporters and members of their rival group for being involved in a fist fight in Dhamial on Sunday night.
Police said two cross-criminal cases were registered against each member of the two rival groups, including the Potohar Town Nazim and Ammar Mehdi.
The leaders and political workers of the two groups came across each other on Sunday night when they were coming back to Dhamial Camp after attending a funeral.
They kicked, punched and beat each other and caused damage to some vehicles. Police said the supporters of one of the group were carrying daggers while the other armed with batons.
At least two people were injured in the clash between the two rival groups who made conflicting claims of being attacked.
Potohar Town nazim Raja Hamid Nawaz nominated his rival Ammad Mehdi, Babar Mehdi, Talat Mehdi, Hashim Mehdi and their aides, while Ammad Mehdi nominated Raja Nasir, the president of PML-Q Rawalpindi and Potohar Town Nazim Raja Hamid Nawaz, Shuja Iqbal and Raja Saqib in the FIR.
However, the accused identified in the FIR has not been arrested by the police so far.
Our Reporter adds: District Nazim Raja Javaid Ikhlas said here on Monday that if attacks on the local leaders of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) were not stopped and if anyone of them loses life, they would hold city police officer (CPO) responsible and lodge criminal case against the area deputy police officers and the station house officers.
The District Nazim, flanked by Potohar Town Nazim Hamid Nawaz Raja, district president PML-Q Mohammad Nasir Raja, Murree Town Nazim Sardar Saleem and a big number of their supporters, was addressing a press conference.
The District Nazim alleged that the provincial government, since coming into power was suppressing the representatives of the local government in connivance with the police.
He said if a first information report (FIR) could be lodged against the district nazim without preliminary investigation, legal recourse could also be taken against the police for their being prejudice.
He said the crime was on the rise in the city whereas the police was busy in suppressing the political opponents of the government.
He said the Pakistan People’s Party government had been preaching and practicing reconciliation at national level but Punjab government was busy in victimizing the political rivals.
Potohar Town Nazim Hamid Nawaz said those who attacked him and others had criminal background and support of the police.
He said his official car had also been damaged by the attackers but police were reluctant to register case against the attackers.
The town nazim said they had political rivalry with the opposition leader in National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan but denied his involvement in all activities against them. He said it was due to the behaviour of the police that the people with criminal background had been bold enough to attack them in broad day light.
He said in a similar incident a month ago police had ignored even the court orders and registered a case against the attackers only after the intervention of Senate Standing Committee on Interior.
He appealed to the federal government to look into the matter and take necessary action before the situation goes out of control.