PTI leaders escape as armed men attack high-profile prisoner vans in Islamabad

A number of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers, including at least three lawmakers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), escaped police custody when unknown assailants attacked prisoner vans in Islamabad.

As per the details, unknown gunmen opened fire on three prisoner vans near the Sangjani Toll Plaza in Islamabad as police were transferring 187 accused to Attock jail following their court appearance in the D-Chowk Protests case against the PTI.

Three KP lawmakers, namely Anwar Zaib, Liaquat and Yasir Qureshi, as well as KP government employees among others fled during the attack, police said.

According to the police, it seemed like an ambush as the armed men had already taken position before the arrival of the vans at the toll plaza. The attackers burst tyres of the vans and later opened fire on the cops, leaving several policemen wounded who were swiftly shifted to the hospital.

In conversation with a private media outlet, Islamabad Inspector General (IG) Ali Nasir Rizvi said that the escaped prisoners had been recaptured.

He confirmed that the fleeing inmates also included three MPAs who had also been taken into custody again.

The Islamabad police chief claimed that four out of the 18-20 attackers, including an MPA’s son, a policeman, and two other individuals, were also apprehended by security officials.