Imran booked for riots in Islamabad

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Islamabad: The Islamabad Police on Friday registered a case against senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Chairman Imran Khan, for the riots that took place in the capital during the ‘Azadi March’.

Apart from Khan, cases have been registered against Asad Umar, Imran Ismail, Raja Khurram Nawaz, Ali Amin Gandapur and Ali Nawaz Awan, reports Geo News.

The police registered two separate cases at the Kohsar Police Station for “rioting and arson”.

The first FIR was registered at the complaint of Sub-Inspector (SI) Asif Raza, while the second one was filed on behalf of SI Ghulam Sarwar.

The cases have been registered against 150 people out of which 39 have been arrested.

The FIRs mention the burning of the metro bus stations at Islamabad’s Jinnah Avenue, damaging a government vehicle at the Express Chowk, and breaking the glass windows of Geo News and Jang office.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah told Geo News said that the federal government has also decided to take legal action against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan.

“The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister’s participation in (Azadi March) with armed police is an attack on the federation.”

Sanaullah added that his department has contacted the Law Ministry for its opinion on initiating action against Mahmood Khan.

On Wednesday, the law and order situation in the federal capital turned chaotic after Imran Khan and his convoy entered the city and started marching towards D-Chowk despite the Supreme Court’s order to hold a rally at a ground between H9 and G9 areas of Islamabad.

But as PTI protesters continued to engage in violent clashes with the police and other law enforcement agencies and continued moving towards the D-Chowk, the government decided to summon the army to control the situation and protect the government’s offices located in the Red Zone.

The Army was called in to control the situation.

Riots were not only confined to Islamabad but also spread to other cities, including Karachi and Quetta, where protesters staged sit-ins.

In Karachi, angry demonstrators set a police van ablaze at the Numaish Chowrangi, while several policemen, including a Superintendent of Police (SP), were injured as the protesters pelted stones at them.IANS