PTI Senator Azam Swati filed a police complaint on Monday, seeking the registration of a first information report (FIR) against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Inspector General of Police Islamabad Dr Akbar Nasir and others over “police brutality and unreasonable use of force” against PTI supporters during the Azadi March last week, according to a news outlet.
The complaint was filed in the capital’s Secretariat police station and also named DIG operations Sohail Zafar Chattha and Rangers operations head.
In the complaint, Swati said that “multiple waves of police brutality and unreasonable use of police force was applied in different parts of the country, including D-Chowk Islamabad, with one objective to seriously impede the fundamental rights of protesters.” He noted that the right to protest was protected under the Constitution of Pakistan.
The senator said his arm and other body parts were injured during the march because of the “illegal baton charge conducted by Rangers [officials]” deputed at D-Chowk and the “attack of CS gas (2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile, a common type of tear gas) by Islamabad police that continued for 12 hours”.
The senator said he was enclosing his medical report, pictures and videos along with his complaint.
“Police violence such as the type used on May 25 is illegitimate use of authority bestowed in the security forces. Politicians in power such as the names referenced above are notorious for always trying to control and run public officers and civil servants as per their own interests and for the fulfilment of personal or their political party interests,” he added.
Meanwhile, relevant officials from police and the capital administration have been called to a committee room of the Parliament House on Tuesday to discuss with them the use of force by law enforcement agencies against PTI marchers.
They have been called by members of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, chaired by Senator Mohsin Aziz. Members of the committee had taken notice of the use of force against PTI marchers and blockade of roads in Islamabad and Punjab.
