KP govt to take legal action against police crackdown during PTI Rawalpindi protest

• KP advocate general to be directed to take legal action: spox.
• Barrister Saif decries use of shelling against women workers.
• 58 PTI leaders for vandalism, raising slogans against state.
  

RAWALPINDI/PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Sunday announced to take legal action over clashes between Punjab police and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers during its protest in Rawalpindi for which cases have been registered against dozens of party leaders.

"The government had planned a Model Town-like tragedy yesterday. [Our] workers were [subjected] to straight firing [and] our women [workers] were shelled upon," said Adviser to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif.

The spokesperson's statement comes after the Imran Khan-founded party "called off" its protest in Rawalpindi due to violent clashes between police and workers on Saturday.

The former ruling party had announced holding a demonstration in the city, however, the Punjab government had then imposed Section 144 banning all political gatherings, sit-ins, rallies, protests and similar activities.

With PTI workers attempting to head towards the Liaquat Bagh, the police had resorted to teargas shelling to disperse the crowd which was then retaliated by party activists who started hurling stones and glass bottles at the law enforcers.

Speaking to Geo News on yesterday's events, Barrister Saif said that the KP government will approach the courts and directions will be issued to the provincial advocate general for taking legal action in this regard.

Which law justifies the use of shelling against peaceful workers, questioned the provincial government official.

His remarks come after KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur, irked by police action, said that they would reply to every bullet, shell and baton that would be used against its supporters.

"More than 50 PTI workers have been injured in shelling as shells and bullets were fired every three kilometres on us," he said in a statement on Sunday, adding that bullets were fired on three of their workers and the whereabouts of one of them could not be traced.

58 leaders booked for vandalism

Meanwhile, cases have been lodged against 58 local PTI leaders at Rawalpindi's Waris Khan police station.

The leaders who have been booked under various provisions include Seemabia Tahir, Shehryar Riaz, Ejaz Khan, Rashid Hafeez, Ajmal Sabir and others along with 150 unknown individuals.

The cases include provisions of terrorism, attempted murder, vandalism, and interference in government matters.

As per the first information report (FIR), the suspects raised anti-state slogans in Liaquat Bagh and were armed with weapons, batons and sticks.

It also says that police personnel Muneeb Abbas and Ajmal Khan suffered injuries due to assault by the PTI workers who also damaged officers' vehicles via stone pelting.

The suspects snatched government weapons, resorted to aerial firing and spread fear in the area, added the FIR.