World News | Journalists Among Four Booked for 'inciting Attacks' on Military Installations in Pakistan on May 9
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. Pakistan police on Monday booked two journalists, an anchorperson and an army officer-turned-Youtuber for "abetting mutiny" and inciting attacks on sensitive military installations and government buildings across the country last month following the high-profile arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan in a corruption case.
Islamabad, June 12 (PTI) Pakistan police on Monday booked two journalists, an anchorperson and an army officer-turned-Youtuber for "abetting mutiny" and inciting attacks on sensitive military installations and government buildings across the country last month following the high-profile arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan in a corruption case.
In the FIR registered on Monday, the complainant, who identified himself as Muhammad Aslam, told the police that on May 9 he saw around 25 people sharing screenshots and messages of journalists Shaheen Sehbai and Wajahat Saeed Khan, as well as army-officer-turned-YouTuber Adil Raja and anchorperson Syed Haider Raza Mehdi.
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“They were inciting people to attack military installations, spread terrorism and create chaos in the country,” he said in the FIR registered in the Ramna Police Station here in the federal capital.
In the FIR, Aslam said that he checked the social media accounts of these four men after the incident.
“After looking into their social media profiles, it was confirmed that all these people, under a planned conspiracy and mutual agreement, are aiding anti-state agencies, defaming the military and attempting to create mutiny in the army,” he claimed.
He alleged that the quartet wanted to “weaken the army” and “increase terrorism” in the country.
On May 9, violent protests erupted after the arrest of Khan by paramilitary Rangers in Islamabad.
Workers from his party -- the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) -- allegedly vandalised over 20 military installations and government buildings, including the Lahore Corps Commander House, Mianwali airbase and the ISI building in Faisalabad.
The Army headquarters in Rawalpindi was also attacked by the mob for the first time.
Khan was later released on bail.
The violence elicited a strong reaction from the government and military with vows of taking action against the culprits, leading to an ongoing crackdown against those involved.
Law enforcement agencies have arrested over 10,000 workers of Khan's Pakistan party across Pakistan, 4,000 of them from Punjab province.
The Punjab Home Department has constituted 10 different joint investigation teams to probe into the attacks and violent protests on May 9, which the army dubbed "Black Day".
Khan, 70, the chairman of PTI, is facing more than 100 cases across the country.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's National Assembly on Monday adopted a resolution demanding that the perpetrators of the May 9 violence be booked under the stringent Army Act.
The resolution -- presented by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif -- was approved by a majority vote in the lower house of Parliament, the National Assembly's official handle tweeted.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)