Usman says attacks were meticulously planned, carried out at specific targets
The Inspector General Police, Punjab, Dr Usman Anwar on Sunday claimed that the call data from the riots that took place on March 8 and May 9 shows significant similarities, leading to the arrest of perpetrators after successful identification.
Addressing a press conference, the IGP Punjab, flanked by other senior officers, revealed that out of the total calls analysed, 154 calls were found to be identical, while Yasmin Rashid was responsible for 41 calls.
Additionally, he said that the identities of 170 individuals involved in the incidents were traced through WhatsApp groups.
Further shedding light on the events that transpired on May 9, the IGP Punjab explained that the attacks were meticulously planned and carried out simultaneously at specific targets, including Jinnah House, GHQ, and Radio Pakistan, among others.
“We have record of each call made during these incidents and we are presenting them as evidence in court,” he added.
Dr Anwar highlighted that even the Pakistan Air Force was targeted during these incidents. He expressed concern over the desecration of martyrs’ memorials on May 9 and denounced the propagation of propaganda against media organisations on social media platforms.
Earlier in the day, the Punjab police announced approaching the high court against the verdict of an anti-terrorism court in Lahore which ordered the release of PTI leader Yasmin Rashid in the Jinnah House attack case.
In a statement issued on Sunday through the police department’s official Twitter handle, they said that “all conspirators, planners, and perpetrators of the May 9 incident, including Dr Yasmin Rashid, would be brought to justice.”
The statement also maintained that the investigation is being carried out on “scientific lines”.
“The court order is being challenged as police were not given the opportunity to present forensic evidence in the case. The court (ATC) order will attain finality after the order of the High Court,” added the statement.
