ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday approached Inspector General of Islamabad Police (IGP) against 35 officials who raided the central office of the party on Wednesday .

The application, filed by President PTI Islamabad Amir Mughal and available with Dawn, stated that on Wednesday around 35 officials of the Islamabad police entered in the office of the PTI without having warrants, and in the presence of a United Nations delegation, which was holding a meeting with the PTI leadership.

“I was in the meeting room. We demanded search warrants from SHO Naeem but he misbehaved and said that there was no need to show the search warrant. Other officers who entered the building included SP Khanzeb, DSP Khalid Awan, SHO Khurram and others,” he said.

Mr Mughal said that the CCTV footage of the incident was available and can be provided. He has requested the IGP to take strict action against the police officials.

PTI spokesperson denounced the raid by the Islamabad police on PTI central office in the presence of a UN delegation, saying the incident sent a disturbing message to the entire world that the constitution and law have become meaningless and hold no value in Pakistan.

He condemned the Islamabad police for their raid on the PTI central office, involving a massive contingent, and the harassment of the United Nations delegation present at the scene.

The PTI spokesperson stated that the unfortunate incident was a part of the long and unending series of attempts to harass and intimidate the party and its workers and leaders.

However, he said that the incident sent wrong message to the international community, including the UN, that there was no respect for the constitution and law in Pakistan.

“The entire world now knows that the dignity and privacy of the Pakistani people and sanctity of four walls are under threat from their own protectors,” he added.

He stated that the purpose of the police raid on the PTI office was to prevent the facts about the electoral “fraud” from coming to light and to protect the national criminals.

He demanded that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi should be held accountable for the police raid on PTI central office. He vowed that PTI would raise this issue of police act on all forums including parliament more emphatically.

PTI leaders booked

The capital police registered two cases against the PTI’s leaders under different charges prime among them was harbouring an offender who escaped from custody, sources in the police told Dawn.

The police raided the party secretariat to arrest the former minister Hammad Azhar.

The sources said the cases were registered at Karachi Company police stations under section 216 (harbouring offender who escaped from custody or whose apprehension has been ordered) of PPC and under sections 160 (punishment for committing affray), 188, 290 (punishment for public nuisance in cases not otherwise provided for) and 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint).

However, both the FIRs were sealed under the orders of the Superintendent of Police City Zone Khan Zaib, they added.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2024