Protest in Red Zone: Police yet to get green signal to arrest PTI MPA

PESHAWAR: The police are yet to get a green signal for the arrest of a Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) from the provincial capital despite the fact that the cops approached the authorities concerned to formally seek their approval.

A letter sent by the Peshawar Police to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly deputy speaker on November 22 stated that MPA from Peshawar Fazal Ilahi was wanted in the first information report No 681 registered on November 3 under Sections 341, 353, 427 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The case was registered by the East Cantt Police Station against dozens of workers for protesting in the red zone and chanting slogans outside the residence of the corps commander on Khyber Road.

“The authorities concerned may kindly be informed regarding the involvement of the accused in the case and for his arrest to proceed into the matter under intimation to this office,” stated a letter of the Superintendent of Police, Headquarters Peshawar ,Zafar Ahmad to deputy speaker KP Assembly.

Reports said the police were reluctant to lay hands on the MPA as he belonged to the ruling party in the province and the cops were yet to get a green signal.

“We sent a letter to the KP assembly on November 22,” said an official.

The case was registered after a large number of party members came out on roads to protest the attack on Imran Khan in Wazirabad and staged a demonstration in the red zone. The protestors chanted slogans outside the residence of corps commander Peshawar last month. Those charged in the FIR were identified through the CCTV footage as well as Nadra record to arrest them on the charges of creating a law and order situation and damaging a police armoured personnel carrier on the Khyber Road. The PTI MPA in question was not directly mentioned in the FIR lodged on the first day.

A source said he was among those mentioned in the report later after going through various footage. Reports said six other office-bearers were also wanted in the case after they were identified through the videos.