Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Saturday said personnel of Punjab Police had entered Islamabad from Rawalpindi to take part in protest against anti-Islam film in the federal capital on Friday.
Talking to reporters during a visit to Federal Government Services Hospital in Islamabad to inquire after the health of policemen injured in incidents of violence, the interior minister said the capital police had arrested at least six Punjab police personnel posing as protesters. An assistant commissioner’s reader and capital police released them later for respect of their uniformed brothers, he added.
“I have suspended the assistant sub-inspector for releasing the rioting policemen,” Malik added. He said investigation in this regard had been started. He also paid tribute to Islamabad Police for performing their duty dedicatedly and devotedly. The interior minister said police constables injured on duty had been promoted as assistant sub-inspectors and an ASI injured in the clashes would be awarded Sitara-e-Shujaat. He said the people who ransacked government and private property during Friday’s protests would be arrested and produced in court after identification through video footages, adding that they would be presented before the media as well. Malik said 62 protestors were arrested during Friday’s demonstrations.