PTI stages protest rallies to slam ‘attack’ on Swat CTD

MINGORA/BATKHELA: Huge protest rallies were held in various parts of Malakand division to condemn mysterious explosions at the police station of Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in Kabal on Wednesday.

Addressing a protest rally at Nishat Chowk here, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and former minister Murad Saeed said that the Taliban had claimed responsibility for the CTD attack but the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police officials were reluctant to admit the facts. PTI activists, including Fazal Hakim, Salimur Rahman and others also addressed the protesters.

Murad Saeed said that officials had claimed that explosions were triggered by short-circuiting, which he termed a white lie.He said that people of Swat had tired of coffins and burial of their near and dear ones, adding that the ‘imported’ government must put a halt to the drama. The ex-minister also lashed out at the media for not reporting the facts.

Former member National Assembly Dr Haider Ali while addressing a protest rally in Khwazakhela said that police and people of Swat were being targeted, which was not acceptable.

He said that people of Swat were peace-loving and had always opposed terrorism and militancy, demanding the government to take practical steps for the restoration of lasting peace in the region.

He condemned the mysterious explosions in the CTD police station in Kabal and asked the government to order an impartial probe into the tragic incident.Meanwhile, a condolence reference was held in barroom in Mingora for those who had martyred at CTD explosions in Kabal on Monday last.

Lawyers, judges and others attended the condolence reference and offered fateha for the departed souls.In Batkhela, PTI workers and traders and people from other walks of life staged a protest rally and chanted slogans against the government for failure to restore lasting peace in Malakand division.

Addressing the rally, former lawmaker Pir Musaawir Ghazi, traders’ leader Zawar Khan Rahmani Gul, Sultan Yousaf and others condemned the explosions in CTD Kabal and demanded an impartial probe into the incident.

They also blasted the government for registering a first information report against PTI leader Murad Saeed and others.They urged the government to fulfill its responsibility and provide protection to people.

Mysterious explosions had occurred in the CTD police station Kabal in Swat, which had rocked the buildings of CTD and an adjacent mosque.About 18 persons, mostly CTD cops, had martyred in the explosions.