Islamabad police have lodged multiple cases against various Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and workers, including party founder Imran Khan, alleging that the former prime minister incited his supporters to riot and agitate against the state and state institutions due to the “extraordinary” facilities provided to him in jail.
Apart from 13 cases in Islamabad—at Secretariat, CTD, Ramna, Sangjani, Golra, Karachi Company, Tarnol, Sumbal, Noon, Industrial Area, Kohsar and Aabpara stations—Punjab police in Hassanabdal have registered a case against Khan, his two sisters, 63 other party leaders and over 3,000 workers on charges of sedition, terrorism and attempted murder over their clashes with police over the weekend. The Islamabad FIRs, in particular, allege Khan took “advantage” of court orders that granted him facilities beyond those permitted in the jail manual. This, they state, included allowing him to freely communicate with outsiders and have multiple visitors.
These arrangements, allege the FIRs, allowed Khan to incite his party’s workers against the state and its institutions, and also direct his party leaders to lead a violent march in pursuit of chaos and anarchy.
The FIRs accused PTI workers of hurling petrol bombs, stones and marbles on police in addition to opening fire on them. They further claim the protesters had alleged that Khan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had ordered them to reach D-Chowk, block it and disrupt government functions.
Similarly, the FIRs allege, PTI leaders Omer Ayub and Mohammad Saif also incited protesters, while Azam Swati provided funding and Gandapur provided public resources of his province to facilitate the march on D-Chowk.
The Hassanabdal FIR also alleged that PTI supporters and the chief minister’s gunmen injured 26 cops, adding the protesters were equipped with tear gas guns, rods and sticks. It said the protesters damaged one motorcycle and two official vehicles.
According to the PTI, police have taken over 2,000 of its workers into custody over their involvement in the protests.