LAHORE
\nThe Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Sunday ordered a \u201cdetailed inquiry\u201d into a clash reported between PTI and PML-N workers at an election office in Lahore\u2019s PP-167 constituency yesterday after the former ruling party alleged that \u201cdozens of PTI workers\u201d were injured.
\nIn written instructions to the Lahore Capital City Police Officer, the electoral body\u2019s district monitoring officer Nabeel Ahmed noted that an \u201cincident of firing\/clash\u201d had occurred near the Allah Hoo Chowk between a \u201cPML-N candidate and PTI workers\u201d, and initial inquiry reports suggested that few people had been injured.
\n\u201cIn this regard, a detailed inquiry into the incident may be conducted immediately and report thereof be shared with this office,\u201d he said.
\nPolitical affiliations, the official added, would not be taken into account during the investigation process, asserting that all police officials should be directed to ensure the implementation of the electoral code of conduct.
\nEarlier today, the PTI had claimed that their election office in Lahore\u2019s PP-167 constituency was attacked by party dissident Nazir Ahmed Chohan on Saturday night. Nazir Chohan, meanwhile, made similar claims.
\nPTI\u2019s Hammad Azhar alleged that Chohan, along with a police officer, attacked the party\u2019s election office and injured \u201cdozens of workers\u201d. \u201cA shot was fired at the head of the party candidate\u2019s nephew,\u201d he said, claiming that police were refusing to file a report.
\nPTI leader Shahbaz Gill said that Chohan and his \u201cgoons\u201d attacked the election office of the party\u2019s candidate located at Allah Hoo Chowk. He alleged that they also injured the candidate\u2019s son Adil before fleeing from the scene.
\n\u201cThese turncoats are not in control of their senses. Faced with fear, they have resorted to such despicable tactics,\u201d he said.
\nChohan was among 25 Punjab Assembly PTI dissident lawmakers that were de-seated by the ECP for voting for Hamza Shehbaz in the Punjab chief minister\u2019s election in April. A Dawn report said Chohan is the likely PML-N candidate for the PP-167 constituency as by-polls for 20 of the 25 seats will be held on July 17. The remaining five are reserved seats.
\nChohan was elected as an MPA on a PTI ticket in 2018 in the same constituency.
\nMeanwhile, at a press conference later today, Chohan claimed that more than 100 PTI workers attacked him with sticks and weapons late Saturday night.
\n\u201cI was on my way back home at 3am when some vehicles blocked my way near the Allah Hoo Chowk,\u201d he said. \u201cShabbir Gujjar (PTI\u2019s candidate) and his accomplices misbehaved with me and threatened to take my life. They also fired shots at my car with modern weapons.\u201d
\n\u201cI escaped narrowly from there with burst tyres,\u201d he added.
\nHe further claimed that PTI knew PML-N would win from the PP-167 constituency. \u201cThey are using such tactics because they know they will lose,\u201d he claimed, adding that PTI workers had \u201cconducted a recce of the route I had to take back home\u201d.
\nChohan also called on the Punjab police, security agencies and top leadership of the province to provide him security.
\nMeanwhile, a spokesperson for Lahore police said in a statement that officials had begun the process of identifying and searching for the shooter. \u201cNo one is allowed to take the law into their own hands,\u201d he said.
\nHe went on to say that strict action would be taken against the suspect who open fire and spread panic, adding that officials had also obtained CCTV footage of the incident.
\nLaw and order will be ensured during the campaign for the by-polls, the official said, adding that the electoral code of conduct would be enforced. The spokesman reiterated that no one was above the law and that strict action would be taken against violators.
\nHe concluded the statement by saying that the Lahore DIG Operations had constituted a committee headed by Saddar SP.
\nLater, the Johar Town police, on behalf of the state, registered a first information report (FIR) against unidentified persons under sections 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 324 (attempt to commit murder) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of Rs50) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
\nThe complaint, filed by Assistant Sub Inspector Muhammad Amin, stated that the police received a complaint late Saturday night regarding a clash between PTI and PML-N workers but the rioters managed to escape before the police teams reached there.
\nDuring the investigation, it added, the police found 12 bullet casings of 9MM pistols and 1 casing of Kalashnikov.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LAHORE The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Sunday ordered a \u201cdetailed inquiry\u201d into a clash reported between PTI and PML-N workers at an election office in Lahore\u2019s PP-167 constituency yesterday after the former ruling party alleged that \u201cdozens of PTI workers\u201d were injured. In written instructions to the Lahore Capital City Police Officer, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-266913","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n