“PTM chief’s entourage fired at security personnel as they tried to stop his convoy in routine checking,” says DC
- Pashteen accused of not stopping, firing at security personnel.
- Incident happened when PTM chief was travelling to Quetta.
- FIR registered against party chief over the firing incident.
The police on Monday arrested Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) chief Manzoor Pashteen in Balochistan’s Chaman area after his security guards allegedly clashed with the police and opened fire.
Security personnel from the police, Levies and the Frontier Corps (FC) were carrying out routine checking when armed men accompanying Pashteen refused to stop the vehicle and opened fire at the security forces, the deputy commissioner said.
The official revealed that the forces retaliated and fired at the tyres of the PTM chief’s vehicle — who along with the armed men managed to flee the scene, Geo News reported.
A first information report (FIR) has been registered against Pashteen, he added.
Meanwhile, the PTM in a statement, confirmed the incident saying that the party chief’s vehicle came under fire near Chaman Press Club while he was en route to Quetta after addressing a sit-in organised by the All Parties Tajir Mehnat Kash.
According to a party spokesperson, eight bullets were fired at Pashteen’s vehicle with the incident injuring one woman — who is being treated in a hospital.
The party chief, along with his entourage, returned to Chaman and surrendered before the authorities, the party spokesperson added.
Pashteen’s arrest comes as another senior PTM leader Ali Wazir was arrested on August 20 after two FIRs were registered against him and human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir accusing them of “treason” alleging that they were involved in a controversial speech against state institutions.
The duo were granted bail on August 28 by an Islamabad anti-terrorism court (ATC) against surety bonds of Rs30,000 each.
