Unidentified men booked for protesting against VVIP protocol of president

Police on Sunday registered two separate cases against unidentified persons for protesting against closure of roads in the city due to VVIP protocol of President Dr Arif Alvi.

The cases were registered on behalf of the state at the Sharea Faisal and Tipu Sultan police stations. An FIR No. 488/18 was registered on behalf of a traffic police sub-inspector, Muhammad Saleem, at the Sharea Faisal police station while a second FIR No. 244/18 was registered on behalf of a traffic police section officer, Muhammad Ashraf, at the Tipu Sultan police station.

The cases were registered against unidentified persons for obstructing the president’s convoy on Sharea Faisal on Saturday night and at the Nursery traffic signal on September 15. The unidentified persons were also accused of asking other citizens not to stop their vehicles to clear way for the presidential convoy, manhandling police personnel deployed for the president’s security and removing security barriers placed on the road.

There have been reports that those who tried to obstruct the way of presidential convoy were members of #FixIt campaign, which was founded by Alamgir Khan, who is currently affiliated with the PTI. However, police officials maintained that no organisation has been named in the FIRs. The #FixIt founder could not be contacted for his comments due to partial suspension of mobile phone service in District East on Sunday.

In the FIR lodged at the Sharea Faisal police station, the complainant recorded his statement that he was on duty near Karsaz at 9pm on September 22 when the road was partially closed for the general public to let the presidential convoy pass. However, an unidentified man parked his car in the way of President Alvi’s protocol.

According to the complainant, the man misbehaved with him and demanded that the road be opened for the general public. He also recorded video of his argument with the complainant. The man also asked other citizens not to stop their vehicles to give way to the presidential convoy.

A similar incident had occurred earlier on September 15 on the occasion of the first visit of President Alvi to Karachi after he was elected as the president. In the case registered at the Tipu Sultan police station, the complainant said he was deployed at the nursery traffic signal to ensure unobstructed passage for the presidential convoy when a man wearing a T-shirt of a social organisation came and tried to interfere in the government work by removing barricades and misbehaving with the police.

As the FIRs appeared to be contradicting the stance of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against the VVIP protocol, President Alvi expressed displeasure over the registration of cases. Taking to Twitter, the president called the FIR registrations a ridiculous act. “When people are inconvenienced they do react,” President Alvi wrote.