Ministry of Inside and Islamabad police officers have declined to offer proof to assist a declare by Inside Minister Mohsin Naqvi that greater than 100 Afghan nationals have been arrested following a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest in Islamabad final month.
At a press convention on October 5, Naqvi, alongside Islamabad’s Inspector Common of Police (IGP) Ali Nasir Rizvi, alleged that Afghan nationals have been amongst these detained after former prime minister Imran Khan’s PTI held a protest within the capital on October 4.
“Final evening in our clashes [with PTI], 41 Afghan nationals have been arrested,” Naqvi stated. “Within the final 48 hours, a complete of 120 Afghans have been caught. That is alarming. It’s one factor when your individual nationals are protesting.”
The next day, Naqvi repeated the declare in one other media briefing.
From October 7 to November 4, Geo Truth Test has sought proof from senior officers within the Ministry of Inside and Islamabad police to substantiate the minister’s assertion. Regardless of quite a few makes an attempt, no documentation or proof has been supplied as of November 4.
On October 7, Geo Truth Test contacted Qadir Yar Tiwana, Director Common of Media on the Ministry of Inside, for clarification. Tiwana redirected the question to the police.
However on the identical day, a spokesperson for Islamabad police, Taqi Jawad, urged the inside ministry must be approached as a substitute.
After repeated inquiries, Jawad assured Geo Truth Test that knowledge could be shared as soon as the 120 purportedly arrested Afghan nationals have been introduced in courtroom.
“Authorities officers make statements primarily based on some foundation after all. We aren’t political those that we make baseless claims,” he insisted.
Nonetheless, follow-ups on October 8, 9, 11, and 21 went unanswered. When contacted once more on October 31, Jawad claimed that solely the inside ministry may launch the info after which even urged reaching out to the Overseas Workplace.
Geo Truth Test once more approached Tiwana on the Ministry of Inside, however he didn’t reply. Whereas FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated she had no info on the matter.
No response was forthcoming from the senior Islamabad police officers, together with Muhammad Arslan Shahzeb, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations, and Ali Raza, Deputy Inspector Common of Police (DIG) Operations.