Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Wednesday that police personnel involved in baton-charging the participants of Aurat March — a public demonstration held annually in various cities to mark International Women’s Day — in Islamabad had been suspended.
In a tweet, the minister said “other persons responsible for misbehaviour” were also being identified and proper action would also be taken against them. In an earlier tweet, the interior minister had vowed that “strict legal action” would be pursued against those responsible for the “mistreatment” of citizens participating in the march Sanaullah said he had taken strict notice of the behaviour meted out to the participants of the march, adding that the Islamabad police chief had been summoned regarding the matter.
One of the march’s organisers, Punjrush, explained what had happened during the rally, saying that transgender persons were performing when police charged at the protesters, causing some of them to get “crushed”.
“Then they started pushing us so we started to push back and then they started fighting and we started fighting and it just got confusing,” she said.
Meanwhile, Islamabad police said Inspector General Islamabad Dr Akbar Nasir Khan had taken notice of the incident and sought a report from the DIG operations.
“Islamabad police apologises for this incident,” the force’s official Twitter handle said, adding that the Islamabad IG had asked the IDG Operations to identify those responsible and take action against them.
“The Islamabad police stands with the participants of the march for the struggle and protection of women’s rights,” the statement said.
It added that the Islamabad IG had also directed the officials concerned to ensure the security of Aurat March and the Tahaffuz Haqooq Niswan rally.
