Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah on Monday said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan might have to be questioned in connection with sexual harassment of women during a PTI rally, as the Civil Lines police registered a case against PTI activists for misbehaving with women at the party gathering held at Charing Cross in Lahore on Sunday.
POLICE REGISTER CASE:
According to police officials, the case has been registered under Articles 506, 394, 147 and 354A. They said that evidences have been collected from the footages and the culprits who misbehaved with women participants of the rally have also been identified and that efforts were being made for their arrest.
HARASSMENT DISAPPOINTING, CONDEMNABLE:
Talking to reporters, Sanaullah, while terming the incident as disappointing and condemnable, said that the management of the rally will also be involved in the process of investigation.
Over 50 culprits have been identified with the help of footages acquired through various sources, Sanaullah said.
IMRAN SHOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SECURITY TO WOMEN:
The minister also remarked if Imran Khan can organise rallies, he should also be able to provide security to women participants.
Asked if the harassers belonged to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Sanaullah said, “We will find out who they were.” “If they belong to the PML-N, we will be responsible. But, if they are from the PTI, Imran Khan will be held answerable,” concluded the minister.
ANUSHA REHMAN CONDEMNS DISGRACING EVENT:
Separately, State Minister for Information Technology Anusha Rehman strongly condemned persistent disgracing events involving women in PTI public gatherings of Islamabad and Lahore.
The minister, while addressing a press conference, asked the PTI leadership to share the action taken against the culprits after the Islamabad incident.
WHAT ACTION TAKEN AGAINST CULPRITS:
“Imran Khan should tell us what action has been taken against the culprits involved in harassing women in Islamabad’s gathering; he should tell us if any punitive action has been taken against any party office-bearer or worker after the incident,” said Anusha who was flanked by Parliamentary Secretary for Interior Maryam Aurangzeb and PML-N lawmaker Maiza Hameed.
“He (Imran) must also tell us what steps have been taken by the PTI for protection of women workers. He should tell us what punishment was awarded to those responsible for women molestation in Islamabad gathering,” she went on to say, suspecting if parents would send their daughters to political gatherings now.
PTI NEEDS TO RESPECT WOMEN WORKERS:
Anusha however paid tribute to the Pakistan People’s Party, Awami National Party and other political groups for giving respect to their women workers and asked the PTI to follow the suit.
She deplored that Imran Khan had left the venue, leaving women participants at the mercy of his “wicked” and “spoiled boys”. She also wondered had Imran Khan followed the same course, if his daughter or sister had been present in the same gathering.
Anusha was of the view that Khan should have left the venue after the disbursement of entire women folk from the gathering.
The minister however lauded the services of the Punjab Police for rescuing women from the “beasts”.
DWINDLING POPULARITY PROMPTS PTI TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETINGS:
Speaking to the media, Parliamentary Secretary for Interior Maryam Aurangzeb said that due to its dwindling popularity, the PTI was forced to hold public meetings at narrow places and crossings.
She said the people of Lahore had frustrated the conspiracy against democracy by ignoring Imran Khan’s public meeting. “Imran Khan can never become leader of the stature of (Prime Minister) Nawaz Sharif and (Punjab Chief Minister) Shehbaz Sharif due to his negative policies,” she added.