ISLAMABAD - The government on Monday got registered an FIR under Anti-Terrorism Act against the top leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) for attacking state buildings along Constitution Avenue.
The written complaint has been filed by government in Secretariat Police Station under sections 7 of Anti-Terrorism Act and other sections ranging from murder attempt to assault on public property.
The FIR has been registered against Chairman PTI Imran Khan, chief of PAT Dr Tahirul Qadri, MNAs Asad Umar, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Sheikh Rashid and several other leaders of the two parties.
Both Imran Khan and Dr Qadri have denied their involvement in storming public buildings or pelting stones at police. Mr Khan on Sunday night ridiculed the government for registering FIR against him.
Holding a copy of the FIR, Mr Khan said the entire media was witness to the fact that he was inside the container when clashes erupted between police and protesters adding that he had nothing to do with vandalism.
Similarly, Dr Qadri too distanced himself away from attacking any police official or state building. Police official said the charges leveled against the accused were serious that could land the accused in jail.
Agencies add: Separately, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday submitted an application for registration of a case against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and federal ministers in connection with Saturday night’s police shelling on demonstrators.
PTI leaders Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Shireen Mazari and Jehangir Tareen arrived at Secretariat Police Station and submitted the application.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and acting IGP Islamabad Khalid Khattak have also been nominated in the FIR.
Earlier in the day, PTI Chairman Imran Khan said that he would lodge a murder case against Prime Minister Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and other top officials for brutal police crackdown on peaceful demonstrators.