A man who claimed he was political agent of the Kurram Agency was arrested in Peshawar on Friday in a case of harassment and use of threats against two men in an incident of road rage.
Imran was accused of harassing and threatening two men with guns in an FIR registered at the Sharqai Police Station by Rahat Shah, one of the two men he allegedly harassed.
In a statement to a news channel before his arrest, Imran claims that his son fired “aerial shots in self defence” when he thought some men were trying to kidnap his father.
SSP Cantonment Kashif said that Imran was not a government officer as he had claimed. “He had been struck off government service around three months ago,” said the police official.
In the footage aired by local media channels on Friday, Imran can be seen held on a roadside by two men as he tries to free himself from their grip. The video shows that he is holding a pistol in his hand.
Meanwhile, a minor, who Imran says is his son, enters the frame, pointing an assault rifle at the alleged attackers.
Pedestrians and passersby are seen attempting to stop the minor from using the assault rifle and are eventually able to end the standoff, with Imran also now free.
Imran claims he was out shopping with his sons when motorcycle-riding men tried to overtake his vehicle.
“They almost smashed into me, so I pulled down my window and exchanged a few words with them.”
But the verbal exchange heated up and the motorcyclists then began threatening him, says Imran. “They said they would shoot me in the head.”
Imran claims they manhandled him at which his son thought they were trying to kidnap him.
“I’m a political agent, I often travel between Kurram and Peshawar and need to carry weapons with me. It’s all licensed,” he said.
Imran said his son did not fire at the motorcyclists and that the “aerial shots” were intended to save his father.
Meanwhile, the motorcyclist, Rahat, talking to another news channel, said shots were fired directly at him. He said the argument had begun when he overtook a car in Peshawar’s Saddar area.
Rahat claimed he had approached police to register a case of attempted murder because shots had been fired at him – but police in the FIR mentioned “aerial firing” only.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s spokesman, Mushtaq Ghani, in a statement said the chief minister had taken notice of the incident, adding that “no one will be allowed to threaten unarmed people” in the province.
