Pindi police deny shooting protesters, PTI claims 50 supporters missing

RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Police have denied allegations that they opened fire on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters during the ‘final call’ protest, saying that they “tried to restrain and did not cause harm to anyone.”

The top police officials of the region, including Regional Police Officer (RPO) Babar Sarfaraz Alpa, Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) Khalid Hamdani, and Attock District Police Officer (DPO) Ghias Gul Khan, were briefing media about the incidents occurred during Nov 24 protest during a joint press conference on Thursday.

Recounting the events during the PTI protest, RPO Alpa stated that the police made efforts to contain the protesters as they gathered in Rawalpindi and Attock on Sunday and Monday. However, he said the protesters were violent, armed, and resorted to firing directly at police officers.

RPO Alpa firmly denied the allegations that the police had opened fire on the protesters or caused any injuries. “There have been no reports of any protesters being injured, nor have any hospitals reported injuries across Rawalpindi district,” he said.

Meanwhile, PTI issued a list of missing supporters from Peshawar, who were reportedly part of the march but have since disappeared. The list, shared on PTI’s official social media pages, includes individuals from four constituencies: 11 from PK-73, 15 from PK-75, eight from PK-83, and five from PK-81.

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The party also claimed that five supporters from PK-83 and six from PK-81 were arrested, either in Attock, Hassanabdal, or at 26 No Chungi.

RPO Alpa acknowledged that 1,151 “violent protesters” had been arrested in connection with 32 cases filed against PTI supporters in the Rawalpindi Region. “64 of those arrested were Afghan nationals, with four possessing resident permits and 60 found to be in the country illegally.”

He went on to accuse PTI protesters of injuring 170 police officers, including those of SSP, SP, and DSP rank. The injuries, which were caused by bullets and sticks, left two officers in critical condition from gunshot wounds, while 25 others were severely beaten with batons, he added.

DPO Ghias Gul Khan provided further details on the injuries sustained by police officers, stating that a bullet fired by protesters passed through Constable Wajid Ali’s hand and lodged in his neck, while Constable Samiullah of Sargodha Police was shot in the leg.

Giving additional information, CPO Khalid Hamdani said that protesters from the Hakla Interchange had opened fire and thrown stones at the police. Weapons seized from the arrested suspects included rifles, wireless communication devices, ball bearings, torture rods, and sticks. “The protesters also attempted to run over police personnel with their vehicles,” he added.

RPO Alpa also highlighted that in the past three months, 262 police officers have been injured in violent protests linked to the political party in the Rawalpindi Region. Additionally, the armed protesters not only set fires at various locations along the motorway but also caused damage to 11 official police vehicles.