The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protests outside the Federal Judicial Complex were “deliberate and planned”, the Islamabad police said on Friday
Last week, when PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s convoy approached the federal judicial complex in preparation for his hearing in the Toshakhana case, violent fights broke out between the police and PTI members.
A police official in Islamabad stated that 63 officers and police personnel were hurt while guarding the court workers and judicial complex. Shibli Faraz, the PTI leader, was identified by him as the accused in the case, and he said that the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) looking into the case will decide his part in it.
He added that Shibli Faraz and his party’s demands led to the court moving from F8 to the judicial complex.
According to the police spokesperson, PTI demonstrators intentionally vandalized property, launched petrol bombs, and set fire to the courthouse with a “plan” in addition to shelling law enforcement officers, 369 rioters were detained.
He insisted that the Islamabad police will carry out their duty as required by court decisions and the law. He said that a “plan” was being used to spread “baseless propaganda” against the capital city police.
The spokesman stated that the cases were in court and were being looked at, and further stated that the police will proceed with the cases according to merit.
The government has formed a high-level JIT to look into four complaints filed against the PTI leader and his followers for allegedly targeting courts and law enforcement, committing vandalism, and impeding the operation of the court, the interior minister Rana Sanaullah Khan said earlier this week.
The minister said that Zulfiqar Hameed, Additional Inspector General of Police Special Branch Punjab, members of the Intelligence Bureau, Military Intelligence, and Islamabad DIG Headquarters, and Awais Ahmad, will lead the JIT.
According to him, DIG Headquarters Islamabad and other BPS-18 officials from the ISI, IB, and MI will be a part of the JIT. He declared that the JIT will do its investigation, file a challan with the court, and prosecute the offenders within 14 days.
