Lahore (HRNW) Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar on Thursday alleged that PTI workers were well-prepared to attack law enforcement agencies outside Zaman Park.
He was addressing a press conference in Lahore on Thursday along with Punjab interim Information Minister Aamir Mir.
The top cop of Punjab said FIRs were registered against people who damaged public property.
“Shooting is very easy, but shooting in not bravery,” the IGP stated, adding the PTI workers damaged public property in the riots.
The IGP said police were attacked with petrol bombs, while PTI workers had assaulted the police and Rangers vehicles.
He said police were barred from carrying weapons to avoid casualties, and highlighted that the force carried weapons in all previous operations.
“Police personnel were injured in stone pelting by PTI workers,” he remarked, adding the Islamabad DIG was injured from stone pelting.
Dr Anwar said there was no objective behind conducting the operation in Zaman Park. The only purpose of PTI workers was to turn Zaman Park into a no-go area, so police could not get there, he added.
He said the Lahore High Court had ordered Punjab police to follow the law, adding the law enforcers would seek ‘search’ permission of Zaman Park from the high court.
Defending the no-fire policy, he said both the Punjab and Islamabad police did not fire towards the PTI workers.
The information minister said the government had decided loss of life will be avoided.
The IGP further claimed that PTI worker Zille Shah did not die due to torture or police fire, adding he died in an accident.
The statements of both suspects were recorded, and will be shared with the media, he claimed.
The police chief further said the driver of the vehicle that hit Shah, and his accomplice had given their confessional statements before the magistrate under Section 164 of PPC.
Both of them had confessed to their crime, the IGP claimed, adding it will be further reassured when the statements are shared with the media.
The Punjab top cop confirmed that the Gilgit-Baltistan police force was present at Zaman Park.
“The police forces did not fight against each other and did not shoot a single bullet,” he said, refuting the rumors of any clash between the police forces.
Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb had claimed on Wednesday that the GB police force was also present at the Imran Khan residence in Lahore.
On Thursday, the federal government removed the GB Police chief for allegedly deploying force at Zaman Park. Dar Ali Khan Khattak, a Grade 20 officer, was appointed as the new inspector general of police of GB.