LAHORE: Two senior leaders of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Fawad Chaudhry, have been nominated in a case registered on charges of inciting violence, accusing state institutions of plotting to assassinate prime minister Imran Khan, and, in the process, causing a traffic jam.
The case was registered on the complaint of Sub Inspector Muhammad Waseem at the Race Course police station in Lahore.
شاہ محمود قریشی اور مجھے ایک اور FIR میں نامزد کیا گیا ہے ایک ایجنڈے کے تحت تحریک انصاف کی لیڈرشپ پر جعلی پرچے کرائے جا رہے ہیں ان کا مقصد پاکستان میں سیاست کا گلا گھونٹ کر برما اور نارتھ کوریا جیسا نظام بنانا ہے، اگلا پرچہ پتنگ اڑانے، یا چھت سے پولیس کو گھورنے کا بھی ہو سکتا ہے pic.twitter.com/bQH8nbE2JT
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 7, 2023
According to the First Information Report (FIR), Qureshi, vice chairman of the party, and Chaudhry, senior vice president, along with unidentified party workers, conducted a press conference at Zaman Park in Lahore that “instigated violence” among the public.
The complaint alleges that as a result of the press conference, Canal Road built up long traffic jams causing difficulties for commuters. Additionally, the speech was described as provocative and infuriating, as he spread agitation against state institutions.
The FIR further claims that Chaudhry made baseless accusations about state institutions plotting to assassinate Khan, thereby committing a crime by disrupting the traffic on the road.
The charges against them include roadblocks, intimidation, and agitative speeches, among others.
“Another FIR has been filed naming both myself and Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Fake leaflets are being circulated with the aim of stifling politics in Pakistan and transforming the country into a system like Burma or North Korea,” said Chaudhry, commenting on the development.
“The next complaint would be registered [on charges of] flying a kite, or even for staring at the police from a rooftop.”
