Former Pak PM Imran Khan booked in new terrorism cases over Rawalpindi protest
Islamabad (PTI): Punjab police has registered three new cases against Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan following a protest by his party on his call at Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh area on Saturday.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder was booked on Sunday under the Anti-Terrorism Act along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and party chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, The Express Tribune newspaper reported.
The complaints filed by the New Town and Civil Lines police stations of Rawalpindi also included charges of attempted murder, violations of Section 144 and other terrorism-related offences.
According to the charges, the 71-year-old leader incited his supporters to protest against national institutions while issuing directives from Adiala Jail where he has been incarcerated for more than a year.
The Punjab government has also raised allegations against Khan and his supporters, accusing them of criticising national institutions, engaging in vandalism, and inciting violence, including stone-pelting.
Khan’s supporters on Saturday allegedly clashed with police during the protest. Hundreds of PTI supporters tried to reach the historic Liaquat Bagh park in the city for the protest called by Khan, but police erected barricades and blocked all major roads.
In videos shared by the PTI, protesters were seen attacking the police with stones and bricks and the law-enforcing personnel were seen retreating in haste while being chased by the protesters.
Earlier, Khan had given a call for "peaceful protest", ahead of which, the provincial government banned public gatherings and closed all major roads leading to the city.
Following the clashes, the party called off the protest to avoid any losses. The General Headquarters of the army is located in Rawalpindi and the venue of the protest was hardly a few kilometers away from the GHQ.
Khan was arrested on August 5 last year after his conviction in the first Toshakhana corruption case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan. Since then, he has been in jail in different cases.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Cong 'pocketed' Rs 150 cr per annum from Assam healthcare budget during 15 yrs of rule: Shah
Guwahati (PTI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday alleged that the Congress, during its previous 15 years of rule in Assam, "pocketed" Rs 150 crore per annum from the state healthcare budget.
Inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for healthcare projects worth Rs 2,092 crore in Assam, Shah said the BJP works for affordable healthcare for all sections of society and lauded Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for bringing the state's medical facilities at par with states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
"Assam's healthcare was in shambles 10 years ago as Congress worked only for the financial health of its leaders' families," he said.
Attacking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he said that no Indian supports his acts of "defaming" the country in his bid to oppose the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
ALSO READ: Never made casteist comment against Modi: Mani Shankar Aiyar
He lambasted the Congress for its "shirtless" protest at the recent AI summit in New Delhi and Gandhi for having 'chai-pakora' on the stairs of Parliament House.
"We were also in the opposition and staged protests against the government, but there is a right platform for it," he said.
"Parliament is a sacred seat of democracy. Its stairs should not be used for even dharnas. And Rahul Gandhi was having 'chai-pakora' there. Doesn't he know where to have his breakfast?" asked the Union minister.
Shah inaugurated the Rs 675-crore Pragjyotishpur Medical College and Hospital in Guwahati, at a programme held on its premises.
He also virtually inaugurated two cancer centres at Golaghat and Tinsukia, both under Assam Cancer Care Foundation (ACCF), constructed at a cost of Rs 135 crore each.
Shah virtually laid the foundation stone for super-speciality hospitals at Diphu Medical College and Hospital (Rs 220 crore), Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (Rs 310 crore), and Barpeta Medical College and Hospital (Rs 284 crore).
The foundation stone for a Rs 218-crore Swasthya Bhawan in Guwahati, and the Abhayapuri District Hospital (Rs 115 crore) were also laid by the Union home minister.
Shah arrived here on Saturday evening on a two-day visit to Assam, his fourth visit to the northeastern state in four months.
