A group of political activists, said to be affiliated with the ruling PML-N, hurled eggs and stones on the convoy of federal minister for Kashmir affairs Ali Amin Gandapur on Thursday, triggering aerial firing from his guards, video clips posted on social media revealed.
The incident took place when Minister for Communication and Postal Services Murad Saeed and other PTI leaders, were headed to a public gathering in connection with the upcoming elections in Azad Kashmir.
When his caravan was passing through a place in Jhelum Valley, some infuriated people pelted stones at it.
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The people also threw eggs at the convoy and blocked the Srinagar Highway. The federal minister’s guards had resorted to aerial firing to break up the crowd.
Video of cowardly attack by PMLN on @MuradSaeedPTI and PTI workers. This attack was instructed by Raja Farooq Haider who can now see defeat in Kashmir after big PTI Jalsas there. pic.twitter.com/QyYFTO5Tpx
— PTI (@PTIofficial) July 15, 2021
Later, the PTI had blame the PML-N leadership on Twitter. “Fearing the defeat of Raja Farooq Haider, it is clear from this video of the attack on the convoy of Murad Saeed that the PML-N has lost its footing. Now Kashmiris will be holding the incompetent PML-N rulers accountable for five years.”
However, the PML-N leadership denied the allegations.
PTI leader Sardar Tanvir Ilyas alleged that the N-League workers opened fire at the PTI’s caravan and threw stones. “One of my security squad member’s was wounded in an assault by the unidentified attackers,” he said.
“[Prime Minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir] Raja Farooq Haider threatened Murad Saeed of serious consequences if he entered the constituency.”
After the threat by Haider, firing was carried out when Saeed entered his constituency, added Tanvir.
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The AJK PM’s spokesperson brushed the allegations aside, saying neither the government nor the PML-N have anything to do with the incident.
“It is reprehensible to link such incidents with Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider,” the spokesman said. It was Gandapur’s guards who opened aerial firing, the spokesperson said.
The AJK PM’s spokesperson said Gandapur is a victim of public reprimand for his foul language. The spokesperson also called upon Prime Minister Imran Khan to recall the abusive minister.
PML-N leader and AJK education minister Iftikhar Gilani also said the party has nothing to do with the alleged firing on Saeed’s convoy and stone-pelting. “We don’t know if they [the Gandapur convoy] were stopped or the local people did this.”
The education minister said, “As far as we have knowledge about the incident, no firing was reported from the other side. They [the angry mob] went to the extent of throwing eggs.”
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The Azad Kashmir education minister there was not a single complaint of breaking a flower pot from Maryam Bibi’s public meetings. “Hence, whatever is happening is due to the internal differences within the PTI,” Gilani said.
Later, PTI leaders arrived at the venue for the public gathering.