KP police trying to avoid FIR against Islamabad IG

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police are trying to avoid registration of the first information report (FIR) against the inspector general of police Islamabad even after the provincial government has submitted an application with the East Cantt Police Station.

A source informed that senior officials had taken up the issue with the KP government authorities, including Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, and they were trying to convince them to withdraw the application.

“So far no progress has been made on the application as senior cops were reluctant to lodge an FIR against a top cop in Islamabad and 600 of his men,” said the source.

The source added that top civil and police bureaucrats asked the chief minister and his team that lodging a case would further add to the tension between Islamabad and Peshawar. A source informed that the matter was being discussed with the legal experts for a final decision regarding lodging or withdrawal of the case.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet had decided last month to lodge FIR against the Islamabad police chief and his cops for “raiding” KP House during the PTI protest in Islamabad in October.

An application was submitted later by the provincial government at the East Cantt Police Station in Peshawar for lodging a case against IGP Islamabad and 600 other policemen for raiding the KP House in the capital city and attacking and arresting its staff.

The application was submitted to the station house officer East Cantt by the State Officer of the KP government after approval by the provincial cabinet.

A source informed that the police force, while trying to delay the FIR, has sent the application to the legal branch of the force. The branch will check legal grounds of any important case before lodging FIR.

The application submitted at the East Cantt Police Station asked for registration of a case against IGP Islamabad and around 600 of his cops following an incident on October 5 when the KP House in Islamabad was allegedly damaged by the cops while many cops and officials of other departments of the KP were arrested and case lodged against them.

The Islamabad Police had lodged cases against a number of KP policemen, Rescue 1122 officials and others for creating law and order situation in the federal capital in October when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers led by the chief minister marched towards the capital for the release of former prime minister Imran Khan.