ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) set up a committee to counter the “victimisation” of its leadership and supporters, and “hold accountable” officials who meted out torture on them the night before and during its long march on Islamabad on May 25, party secretary general Asad Umar announced Wednesday.
The five-member “anti-victimisation and accountability committee” would be headed by Shafqat Mehmood and will comprise Aamir Mehmood Kiani, Yasmeen Rashid, Aon Abbas and Basharat Raja.
“No one should think that we have forgotten May 25. Neither have we forgotten it nor will we let anyone forget it,” he said in a tweet.
کوئ یہ نہ سمجھے کے ہم 25 مئی بھول گئے . نہ بھولے ہیں، نا بھولنے دیں گے. کمیٹی تشکیل دی جا رہی ہے جو تمام جھوٹے پرچوں کو قانونی طریقہ کار سے فارغ کروائیےگی. اور جن افسران نے غیر قانونی احکامات پر لوگوں پر تشدد کیا اور غیر قانونی کارروائی کی، ان پر قانون کے مطابق کاروائی کی جائے گی pic.twitter.com/inlb0uqa2t
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) July 20, 2022
“The [police] officials who tortured people on illegal orders [from Punjab chief minister Hamza Shehbaz] and took illegal action [against the protestors] will be dealt with according to the law.”
According to Umar, the committee would oversee all the first information reports (FIRs) and “identify the fake cases” against its leadership as well as its activists and supporters.
THE MARCH
On May 25, the police fired teargas, baton-charged and detained supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan to stop them from reaching Islamabad to demand fresh elections.
Clashes between the protestors and police were reported in multiple cities.
Islamabad’s entry and exit routes were also blocked, as well as important civic sites. Entry and exit points were also blocked to and from all major cities in Punjab and on the GT Road.
The government responded by saying Khan’s march was illegal and accused him of seeking to bring protesters to Islamabad with “evil intentions”.
The protestors also clashed with security forces in other major cities, including Karachi and Lahore.
