PDM Bannu public meeting: Organisers, service providers booked for SOPs violations

BANNU: The Bannu district administration and the police on Thursday initiated action and registered cases against the organizers, political activists and service providers for the recent public meeting of the opposition’s Pakistan Democratic Movement for violation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and others laws.

The organizers, who are also district office-bearers of various political parties were charged under different sections of the law, including violations of SOPs against coronavirus, district administration directives, demolishing wall of the sports complex, installing sound system/loudspeaker and others.

Cases were registered against Niaz Ali Khan of the Awami National Party, Ashfaq Khan and Taj Muhammad of the Pakistan People’s Party, Shaukat Khan of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Kamal Shah of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Malik Mukarram Shah of the Qaumi Watan Party, former member provincial assembly Malik Riaz Khan and Muhammad Niaz Khan of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F.

They were charged for breaking into the Ziad Akram Khan Durrani Sports Complex, demolishing sports complex wall, installing sound and light system and tents for the PDM public meeting. The police also registered cases against the service providers identified as Zahid Sardikhel and Qadoos Sardikhel and Fawad Khan for providing crockeries and decorating stage for the PDM leaders, respectively.

The sections of law under which organizers, political activists and service providers were charged included PPC-188, 452, 427, 109, 148, 149, NDMA 333/3414 and others.

According to the the first information report, the organizers, political activists and service providers were charged as they had blatantly violated the directives by the regional sports officer, Bannu, issued through a letter No. BU/RSO-3-1 dated 01-01-2021 that no one would be allowed to arrange private or official gatherings at the sports complex except for sports. The FIR read that the organizers, political activists and service providers had also violated the directives.