FIR lodged against Imran, senior PTI leaders for attacking police

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan and other senior PTI leaders were booked for attacking police and for using foul language in Lahore against the national security institutions after Section-144 was imposed here, reported Geo News.

A mob of as many as 300-400 people committed and incited violence across the city and also used obscene language against the state institutions, read the First Information Report (FIR), filed on behalf of the Raiwand deputy superintendent of police.

The FIR was filed under the Section-7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), and sections- 147, 149, 353, 186, 302, 324, 188, 427, 290, 291, and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The FIR also read that on the orders of the previous prime minister Imran Khan, Hassan Niazi, Hammad Azhar, Memoodul Rasheed, Farrukh Habib, and Ejaz Chaudhry, PTI employees abused the institutions.

According to a report published in Geo News, the mob threw stones at the police and attacked them with wooden sticks, inflicting injuries on 13 police officers and six PTI employees as a result of the brutality of their own party members. A

fter a complaint was filed against Mohsin Naqvi in Lahore, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry chastised the interim chief minister of Punjab. Fawad claimed to have spent the previous two days in Islamabad working on a plea that will be considered today.

Imran Khan said that the situation is that he has been charged with vandalism in Lahore. "Guess, which sort of people have been planted by General Dyer Mohsin Naqvi," he added. Notably, several people of both sides were left injured after Punjab police tossed tear gas shells and charged the Imran Khan supporters with baton.

The clashes broke out in Lahore before Khan's planned rally to commence his election campaign, but which was then banned by the administration by imposing Section-144 for a week.

Ever since he was ousted in a parliament vote of confidence last year, the former premier has been demanding snap polls. His successor, who rejected the demand, said that the elections would be held later this year, as scheduled. Khan was shot and hurt last year during his own campaign rallies.

According to province communications minister Amir Mir, Wednesday's march was prohibited due to a threat to the law and order situation because there were International Women's Day celebrations in the region.

Mir also claimed that supporters of rally fought police when they were told to disperse. Police dispersed them with batons, water cannons, and tear gas in retaliation, Mir said. He also claimed that at least seven police officers had been hurt.

He said that twelve PTI employees had been detained so far. Many of the workers were hurt during the clashes, which Imran Khan's adviser Sharfqat Mahmood referred to as fascist tactics.

A Live TV footage shows the police resorting to extensive teargas shelling on several spots near Khan's home in Lahore, with a few workers seen bleeding. Ever since he was ousted, Khan was booked in several court cases.

He is also wanted in court on March 13 to defend charges that he illegally sold state gifts misusing his powers from 2018 to 2022. After the clashes, the PTI had called off the rally, Geo News reported.