In an ominous sign of how messy thing may get going forward, a policeman raiding a minor PTI figure’s home was gunned down
By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The messy battle for political ascendancy in Pakistan between an ousted prime minister and the ruling coalition threatened to become even messier Tuesday when a police officer was gunned down on the course of a police raid of a minor political figure’s home.
The day saw a flurry of reports, emanating from several parts of the country, of leaders and workers of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) raising outcry over administration’s attempts to arrest them.
The reported crackdown comes in the wake of Khan’s announcement to hold a sit-in on Islamabad’s Srinagar Highway on May 25.
Hamad Azhar, a cabinet minister under Khan, said on his twitter account a police contingent had reached his house in Lahore.
Reports from Sialkot said Police raided the house of PTI leader Usman Dar, but he was able to escape arrest.
Several similar reports filtered in from the provincial capital as well as from other cities of the Punjab province.
PTI stalwart Fawad Chaudhry tweeted saying, “My house in Islamabad is being monitored and a raid is being planned. In view of the situation, I have left home and now I will reach Jhelum. Inshallah, the real freedom march will be successful and all these oppressors will be brought to justice”.
PTI leader and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Nawaz Sharif had asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to resign but Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was dead set against the idea.
He lamented that crackdown was being carried out against PTI workers across the country and cases were being registered under Section 144 PPC and MPO 9. He advised PTI workers to go underground or temporarily move to their relatives houses to avoid arrest.
Qureshi asked workers to reach Islamabad come hail or thunder and make the peaceful protest march a success.
The police have a martyr
A member of the police party raiding a minor PTI leader’s residence, Constable Kamal Ahmad came under direct fire last night from the rooftop of the building, Lahore’s DIG Operations Sohail Chaudhry told media persons.
When the police party reached the home of PTI activist Sajid Hussain, somebody opened fire from the rooftop of the building, the DIG said. A bullet pierced the upper part of the constable’s chest.
The injured officer was rushed to the hospital but he had lost too much blood by the time he reached there, and he succumbed to his injuries.
The police later lodged an FIR against Hussain.
DIG Chaudhry said police parties were out hunting the perpetrator of the crime, whom he vowed to bring to justice.
Separately, Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz paid rich tributes to Constable Ahmad. He offered his condolences to the deceased officer’s family, and sought a repot on the incident and early arrest of the perpetrator(s).
Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb issued a statement issued over the incident saying “a red line” had been crossed. “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed his unequivocal intention to ensure the protection of the economy and the people.
A fuming interior minister
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah was livid over the killing of the cop. “Those who used to hurl verbal have now started shooting”, he said. “They took the law into their hands. Now the law will hold them accountable.”
Rana further said that Imran Niazi wanted to spread chaos in the country in the name of march, and that his nefarious plan would be thwarted come what may.
“We will ward off civil war, chaos, and disorder in the country by enforcing the law,” he vowed.
The Interior Minister told media persons the death of Constable Ahmad was evidence Imran Niazi was a terrorist. He asserted the responsibility for the killing rested with Imran Niazi, Sheikh Rashid, and their followers.
Rana offered his condolences to the deceased constable’s family and said they were entitled to a compensation package meant for police martyrs that includes monetary and other benefits.
He said the government would assume the responsibility for the welfare of the slain officer’s family and for his children’s education.
Ahsan Iqbal, the Planning Minister, said the coalition government believed in democracy and respected the citizens’ right to protest.
He said the ousted prime minister would be given free rein as long as he stayed within the boundaries of the law and Constitution, but anybody overstepping the line would be dealt with.
“We cannot take dictation from Imran Khan to dissolve assemblies and announce fresh polls forthwith. We are not afraid of going to the masses, but if we do so now it would mean we are succumbing to Imran’s pressure and showing weakness, which we should not,” a party insider quoted the elder Sharif as having said.
KP supporting march
Ruled by a coalition led by Khan’s PTI, the administration of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province is ostensibly lending a hand to make a success of the march.
Well place sources privy to the thinking of the provincial government told Independent Pakistan the provincial authorities have told their elected members they can use government vehicles for the march. Their brief is to muster substantial numbers of party activists and head to Islamabad.
This is in addition to the announcement by the KP administration to provide full security to marching PTI workers.
The provincial inspector general of police is already on the record saying he has received orders from the KPK administration not to hinder anyone marching and to provide them complete security.
Khan remains defiant
Imran Khan stuck a defiant note at a Tuesday presser in Peshawar, promising to leave for an Islamabad sit-in the next day with the largest caravan in the history of Pakistan despite the federal authorities’ decision to disallow the activity.
“If anyone’s life is in danger in the country at the moment, it is my life”, said the prime minister ousted by PDM through a parliamentary vote of no confidence. “But whatever happens, we will leave for Islamabad tomorrow”.
Responding to government crackdown against his party’s members, Khan said they were not doing anything illegal.
“They have the right to protest peacefully,” he said, adding the cabinet decision to disallow his sit in was is illegal. He accused the administration to resorting tactics favoured by military dictators.
The PTI Chairman noted Islamabad has been closed to entry, but asserted the government did not have enough police to stop the numbers he was hoping to mobilise.
Khan complained that the house of Justice Nasira Iqbal had been raided last night, and added, “I ask the judiciary and the neutrals which democratic government does this. No democratic government does that.”
The ousted prime minister said the whole nation was looking towards the judiciary. Addressing the army in his remarks, he said this was no time to remain neutral. He called upon the judiciary to “not allow” attacks on the homes of respectable people.
Islamabad shields up
The security of federal capital has been beefed up with a view to maintaining public order in the face of PTI’s looming protest demonstration.
Police sources told Independent Pakistan the force had chalked out a detailed security plan to block any attempt by the marchers to enter the Red Zone of Islamabad.
The Federal Capital’s police force plans to deploy as many as 25,000 security personnel to meet the challenge.
The sources said the martyrdom of a police officer in Lahore had only hardened the law enforcement agencies’ resolve to maintain order at any cost.
If need be, the federal administration has the authority to call in the military to support the civil administration in its mission to keep public order.
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