ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Saturday that a total of 11 officers from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) police and 120 Afghan nationals were arrested among the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protesters during a violent demonstration in Islamabad.
Talking to the media alongside Punjab’s Inspector General (IG) Dr. Usman Anwar, Naqvi said that the protest, led by KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, turned violent, with protesters firing at law enforcement officials, resulting in injuries to several police personnel.
Naqvi said that a total of 564 persons were arrested during the crackdown, including 11 KP police officers who allegedly participated in the protest. He stressed that while there were fears of casualties from some quarters, no lives were lost.
However, the violence left 75 Punjab police officers and 31 Islamabad officers injured, with one officer in critical condition.
“The protesters aimed to disrupt the peace in Islamabad and planned to stay until October 17,” Naqvi said. He commended the police for showing restraint despite the aggressive actions of the demonstrators.
He further revealed that the police initially mistook the armed persons for regular protesters, only to discover that some were trained KP police officers. “They were well-equipped and used regular weapons,” Naqvi said. He vowed that legal action would be taken against those responsible for instigating and participating in the violence.
The federal minister also assured that steps would be taken to prevent further unrest and that the authorities were investigating the involvement of both local and foreign people in the protest.
