KARACHI: Rangers have lodged a terrorism FIR against two Pakistan Peoples Party candidates for allegedly storming into a polling station in Gulshan-i-Maymar on Feb 8, attacking security personnel, holding polling staff hostage and extending them threats of dire consequences, police said on Saturday.

A police officer, who wished not to be named, said that the case was registered against PPP candidates for NA-244 and PS-116 —Hafiz Abdul Bar and Ali Ahmed Jan —on a complaint of an official of the paramilitary force.

Mr Jan has emerged victorious on the provincial legislature seat, according to unofficial and unconfirmed results.

The police said that no one had been arrested so far.

According to the FIR, a Rangers inspector stated that he along with other personnel was performing duty at a polling station at a private school in Gulshan-i-Maymar when at around 9am, PPP candidate Hafiz Abdul Bar and Ali Jan along with their guards arrived there to cast their votes. They left the premises after casting their votes, but came back at 10am, started shouting at the polling staff and got the polling process stopped.

Terrorism FIR lodged against PPP’s NA-244 and PS-116 candidates on Rangers complaint

He stated that extra force was called and election officials concerned were informed who reached the scene and resumed the polling.

However, at around 4:30pm, the two candidates along with their guards again arrived at the polling station and forced a Rangers man to open the gate. The Rangers man told them that they could go without their armed guards, to which they and their guards misbehaved, pushed the uniformed personnel, tried to snatch their weapons and forcibly entered the polling station.

The FIR stated that the suspects pointed their weapons towards the polling staff, held them hostage at gunpoint, extended death threats and tore voter lists.

However, more Rangers personnel after receiving information arrived at the scene, got the polling staff released and recovered the snatched cell phone of a Rangers intelligence man.

The FIR said the PPP candidates and others fled the scene while extending threats of dire consequences that spread fear and terror in the area.

The police registered a case against the two PPP candidates and their 30-35 unknown supporters under Sections 147 (rioting), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), etc, of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2024