‘Running’ PTI MPs, others captured after thwarted escape from prison van

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad police said on Friday that they foiled an armed attack on three prison cars carried out by attackers to free Pakistani legislators, government officials and cops detained in connection with the D-Chowka demonstration case of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Unidentified assailants carried out a gun attack on three prison cars, transporting “82 accused, including members of the provincial assembly (MPA), government officials and policemen, to Attock Prison after a court hearing,” police added.

One of the prison cars was carrying PTI MPA soldiers Anwar Zaib, Liaquat and Yasir Qureshi.

PTI legislators and other prisoners managed to escape from prison cars after the armed attack, but were arrested again by Islamabad cops.

Police sources said the armed attack took place at the Sangjani toll plaza, adding that it appeared to be an ambush as armed men had already taken positions before the delivery trucks arrived at the toll plaza.

The attackers burst the tires of the vans and later opened fire on the policemen, leaving four injured policemen who were quickly taken to hospital.

Photos from the scene, obtained by Geographical newsshowed that a police car in the convoy of prison cars was also damaged in the attack.

Following the armed attack, Inspector General (IG) of Islamabad Police Ali Nasir Rizvi said Geographical news that the prison vans contained 82 prisoners who were being transported to Attock Prison after being brought before a court in the federal capital.

He said all the prisoners who escaped after the attack were re-arrested because police thwarted the escape attempt. Rizvi confirmed that the escaping prisoners included two MPA members who were also re-arrested.

An Islamabad police spokesman said that senior officials along with a heavy contingent reached the spot and a search was launched in various areas to nab the perpetrators.

Sangjani incident staged to file false cases: PTI

On the other hand, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram blamed the Islamabad police for “using this tactic to file more false cases against party workers.”

In a statement, Akram said that over 80 party members appeared before the court for hearing of the case filed at Sangjani Police Station today.

He added that the court had dismissed all PTI employees in this case.

The spokesman of the party founded by Imran Khan stated that the prisoners were brought to Attock Jail and their prison vans were taken to Chungi number 26, adding that all of them were included in another case reported to the Police Secretariat today.

Rejecting the police claims that he was facing an armed attack, Akram alleged that the station house officer (SHO) and other cops, after removing all the prisoners, smashed the window of the police van and prison vans.

He claimed that PTI prisoners were asked to escape, but they refused to escape.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Prime Minister Ali Amin Gandapur called the Sangjani incident a “drama staged by the fake government and Islamabad police” to show that prisoners were escaping.

The KP chief warned the Islamabad authorities that the arrested persons must be transported safely, failing which the home minister, IG, DIG and other senior officials would be held responsible.

Tracking attackers on the loose: Tarar

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar accused the main opposition party of organizing an “armed attack on prison cars” carrying 83 prisoners near the Sangjani toll plaza.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad today, he claimed that as many as 30 people in four cars attacked the delivery vehicles to help the detainees escape from police custody, which successfully repelled the attack. Two police officers were injured, but all those who tried to escape were re-arrested.

He confirmed that four attackers had been arrested along with the seizure of the weapons and two cars used in the attack.

Rejecting PTI spokesman’s claims that the attack was organized by the police, Tarar called the party’s response “absurd” and said authorities had CCTV footage of the attack.

Tarar said the remaining attackers and their cars were being tracked and would be arrested soon. He added that all those involved in planning and complicity in the attack would face the law.

Several PTI leaders, as well as sisters of party founder Imran Khan, were detained on October 4 during protest demonstrations in Islamabad.

However, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad granted bail to Khan’s sister – Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan – in the D-Chowka protest case registered at Kohsar police station earlier today.

The former ruling party has launched an anti-government campaign for the “independence” of the judiciary and the release of the former prime minister from prison.