Daily Times

Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has said that an operation against a proscribed religious party was launched after the miscreants launched an attack on law enforcement agencies.

Talking to a private news channel on Sunday, the information minister said, “They kidnapped our police and Rangers personnel following which we led an operation against them.” He further said that the state did not even yield to armed terrorist group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan loves Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and he raised the objections over blasphemy on each available forum.

Earlier, Special Assistant to Chief Minister (SACM) Punjab Firdous Ashiq Awan on Sunday said that a group of miscreants attacked Nawankot police station in Lahore and kidnapped 12 cops including a deputy superintendent of police (DSP).

“The miscreants were armed with petrol bombs and acid bottles and attacked the cops at the police station,” she said in her Twitter post, besides sharing a statement issued from the Punjab police on the entire episode.

She said the miscreants surrounded the Nawankot police station, where police and Rangers were staying and besides abducting 12 cops including a DSP, their attack led to the injuries to at least six policemen.

“The miscreants also stored 50,000 litres of fuel tanker at their Markaz,” the SACM said while rejecting that the Punjab government initiated any operation against the protesters.

“Police neither planned nor launched any operation,” Firdous Ashiq Awan said, adding that the operation was launched in self-defence and in a bid to rescue the abducted cops and safeguard the public property.

She further said that the miscreants had already martyred six policemen and injured over 700 others after the latter tried to dismantle nationwide protests.

Punjab Police Statement

Miscreants attacked Nawankot Police Station and took several security personnel hostage at its headquarters in Lahore on Sunday.

On Sunday morning, Rangers and Police officers were trapped inside the police station and DSP [Deputy Superintendent] Nawankot was kidnapped and taken to the markaz. At Least one oil tanker with 50,000 liters of patrol was also held by the miscreants and was taken to the markaz of banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP). The miscreants were armed and attacked Rangers/Police with patrol bombs.

Police and Rangers pushed them back and took back the possession of the Police Station. Police did not plan or conduct any operation against the mosque or the madrassa. The action taken by the police, if any was in self defence, and to protect public property.