Lahore Police have claimed the arrest of 12 wanted criminals who attended a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally.
As per the Dawn News report, the Punjab Police had set up a surveillance operation during the PTI rally in Kahna, focusing on apprehending suspects involved in the violent incidents of May 9, 2023.
Moreover, facial recognition cameras were installed around the rally venue to identify and capture those wanted in connection with the unrest.
It was decided that the Lahore Police would use facial recognition technology to identify and arrest the fugitives attending the rally. Teams equipped with this technology were stationed at the Safe City Authority office.
In addition, authorities had also alerted investigation teams working on the May 9 cases, with instructions to arrest any wanted individuals present at the rally immediately. Additionally, individuals released on bail would be re-arrested to prevent further instigation of violence.
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The Lahore Police confirmed the arrest of 12 suspects at the PTI rally, stating that they had been transferred to various police stations. The arrests were made using camera-based facial recognition. Meanwhile, police clarified that any decision regarding the arrest of PTI leader Hammad Azhar would be based on the prevailing circumstances.
It is important to recall that on May 9, 2023, following the arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan from the Islamabad High Court premises in the Al-Qadir Trust case, PTI supporters launched nationwide protests.
Furthermore, during these protests, several incidents of arson and vandalism were reported, including the torching of the PML-N office in Lahore’s Model Town, as well as military, civilian, and private properties. The riots resulted in significant damage to public and private assets, with at least eight fatalities and 290 injuries.
