The release of a CCTV footage on social media has rubbished earlier claims that four Rangers personnel were crushed by security vehicles amid violent protests by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in and around Islamabad.

 

The PTI, on founder Imran Khan’s call, has marched on the federal capital in protests that went violent with clashes between party workers and law enforcement personnel. The law and order situation took a turn for the worse as at least four Rangers personnel and two cops were martyred on Tuesday morning at around 3 am.

 

With law enforcement claiming that the Rangers personnel were crushed by a fast-moving vehicle from one of PTI’s convoys, the party claimed that the vehicle belonged to paramilitary personnel themselves.

 

Safeer Ali, an eyewitness of the incident and brother of the civilian who was also killed in the incident near Islamabad’s Chongi Number 26, claimed that he looked on as “fleeing police and Rangers deliberately ran people over as they sped away”.

 

 

The claim, which went viral after Ali’s interview to senior journalist Matiullah Jan outside Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), was, however, debunked after the release of CCTV footage of the incident.

The CCTV footage showed a Rangers check-post with a group of paramilitary troops standing at ease. In the background, a private vehicle can be seen crushing a separate group of Rangers personnel as it speeds away.

 

 

“The video clearly shows that the witness lied about the details of the incident in his interview. He had said that, 'I was standing there with my brother and PTI supporter who was a former FC [Frontier Constabulary] soldier. Rangers crushed him while fleeing. [The video shows] no witnesses or Rangers fleeing. They are standing at ease,” journalist Waseem Abbasi wrote while sharing the CCTV on his X (formerly Twitter) account.

 

Meanwhile, the federal government, in wake of violent protests and deaths of security personnel, has deployed army in Islamabad by invoking Article 245 of the Constitution. 

 

A notification issued by the Interior Ministry said that army has been authorised to impose a curfew in any locality deemed necessary to maintain law and order.

 

Security forces have also reportedly been authorised to shoot miscreants and rioters on sight.

 

By the time this report was filed, PTI demonstrators had reached their destination, D-Chowk, amid intense tear-gas shelling.