ISLAMABAD : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers were charged with terrorism on Sunday after chaos ensued at the Islamabad judicial complex during former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s appearance at court for the Toshakhana case.
PTI workers were reported to have pelted stones at authorities inside the complex, resulting in injury to several police personnel. They also broke the security barrier of the complex to enter its premises in solidarity with Khan.
The counter-terrorism department (CTD) police station registered the case against arrested PTI workers and wanted party leaders under various sections of 10 crimes, including terrorism.
PTI leaders such as Ali Amin Gandapur, Murad Saeed, Aamir Mehmood Kiani, Asad Qaiser, Shibli Faraz, Asad Umar, Omar Ayub Khan, Ali Nawaz Awan, and Hassaan Niazi were named in the FIR.
According to the FIR, PTI workers damaged the police check post and the main gate of the judicial complex. 18 people were arrested for arson, pelting of stones, and breaking the building of the complex. Two police vehicles and seven motorcycles were burned, and the official vehicle of the station house officer (SHO) was damaged, while pistols, anti-riot kits, and Rs20,000 of about eight policemen were also stolen by the workers.
Additionally, 19 people were detained for pelting stones, violence, and throwing Molotov cocktails at police. Imran Khan and the workers violated Section 144 as they entered with wooden sticks and stones, injuring 52 police and personnel of other assisting forces, and damaging 12 police vehicles.
Furthermore, agitated workers damaged three vehicles of the Punjab police and Frontier Corps (FC), and completely burned four cars of the federal police.
Following the incident, the Inspector-General of Islamabad instructed an estimated amount of loss caused by the incident to be assessed.
(Islamabad51-Newsdesk)