The Rawalpindi police reported on Thursday that at least 170 police officers were injured due to gunfire from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protesters, with 25 in critical condition. Additionally, 11 police vans were set ablaze during the November 24 incident.
Addressing a press conference, DPO Attock, CPO Rawalpindi Syed Khalid Hamdani, and RPO Rawalpindi Babar Sarfaraz shared details of the unrest. “On November 24, hundreds of thousands of PTI supporters entered Attock district. Despite the police showing restraint, they fired directly at the officers without hesitation,” stated the RPO.
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He further added that some of the protesters appeared to be trained individuals who deliberately targeted police personnel.
Providing additional information, he revealed that 1,151 suspects were arrested across 32 cases linked to disrupting law and order in Islamabad and nearby areas. Among these, 64 were Afghan nationals, with four holding Afghan registration cards, while 60 were illegally residing in Pakistan.
Over the past three months, worsening law and order in the federal capital has resulted in injuries to 262 police personnel, according to the RPO.
CPO Rawalpindi Hamdani described an incident on November 24 when a convoy on the CPEC route turned violent after police attempted to intercept them. Protesters crushed police contingents with their vehicles and opened fire, killing officer Mubashir and wounding 24 others, forcing police to retreat.
DPO Attock Sardar Ghiyas Gul Khan stated that the police engaged protesters for 24 hours, but some opened fire from Pathargarh Pahari, injuring officer Wajid Ali in the hand and neck. Ali is currently receiving treatment in the ICU.
The violence extended to Sargodha, where a police officer was shot in the leg. Despite the widespread injuries among the 170 police personnel, not a single protester was harmed, according to the police.
