When police sought to dismantle a protest camp set up by Shakeel Tanoli’s family, who sadly lost his life in a vehicle accident two years ago, tensions outside the National Press Club increased today.
Raffaqat Tanoli, Shakeel’s father, led the protesters who came to demand justice for his premature death.
As police interfered, the protest—which sought to draw attention to what the family alleges has been a lack of progress in holding those accountable for Shakeel’s tragic accident—quickly turned confrontational. Witnesses claimed that tear gas was used extensively to scatter the demonstrators, creating tumultuous scenes in the center of the capital.
Amid the turmoil, Islamabad police detained five people in a quick and decisive operation, including Raffaqat Tanoli.
Amid the turmoil, Islamabad police detained five people in a quick and decisive operation, including Raffaqat Tanoli. The crackdown followed several attempts by the authorities to mediate a peaceful end to the demonstration, which attracted notice because of its conspicuous location and the deeply felt demands being made.
Shakeel Tanoli, who was tragically slain in Kahana, Islamabad, in an incident involving a speeding vehicle, has come to represent his family’s fight for justice. Investigations had shown that the car involved in the incident belonged to a judge of the Lahore High Court (LHC), according to Raffaqat Tanoli. This led to additional scrutiny of the way the local authorities handled the situation.
