Gullu Butt tells police he vandalised public property after PAT workers ‘tortured’ him
LAHORE
RANA HAIDER
The man who smashed windscreens and windows of vehicles outside the Minhajul Quran International Secretariat in the presence of senior police officers, surrendered to the police early on Wednesday, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Gullu Butt, a resident of Faisal Town, started vandalising private vehicles with a club when the clash broke out between activists of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and policemen on June 17, which had left as many as eight party workers, including two women, dead and 85 others injured.
Butt is also allegedly an active member of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and a known police tout notorious for extortion and blackmailing in the Faisal Town locality. Two cases were registered against Butt at the Faisal Town Police Station.
Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah has, however, denied Butt’s affiliation with the PML-N.
In his initial statement to the police, sources said that Butt had claimed that he had reached the area “to mediate between the two parties” but the PAT workers had tortured him following which he vandalised the public property “in revenge”.
Television footage had shown Butt arriving at the scene on a motorcycle. He was brandishing a club and chanting slogans. No police official had tried to stop him and the vandalism continued unabated. It was learnt that a VIP calls Butt Sher-e-Punjab (Lion of Punjab).
Butt had supplied water and cold drinks to the police officials throughout the operation. However, he quickly disappeared after the operation.