Screengrab of the fire at the Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar
At least four people were reported killed and 27 others injured during ongoing clashes between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters and law enforcers in Peshawar, as rioters set fire to the Radio Pakistan building and ransacked an arms and ammunition storefront.
At the same time, police said they had arrested 30 people for damaging public and private property, including vehicles, buses and ambulances. Some of the detained individuals have also been charged with attacks on police and vandalism. Police said they were examining CCTV footage and videos available on social media to identify more accused.
During Wednesday’s clashes, police resorted to tear-gas shelling and aerial firing, with some protesters also firing live ammunition in retaliation. Footage available on social media showed PTI supporters opening fire near the Balahisar Fort, which is the headquarters of the Frontier Corps. They also set fire to a police vehicle and an Edhi ambulance in the same area.
Later in the day, several dozen protesters entered the Radio Pakistan building in the provincial capital. Initially, the PTI supporters looted and ransacked the building. However, they subsequently set fire to a part of it, with the flames eventually spreading and destroying the record room. Reports also indicated Radio Pakistan’s equipment was also extensively damaged by the flames. Law enforcers said they had managed to evacuate the people, including two women, who had been trapped in the building when the fire broke out.
There were also reports of PTI supporters looting an arms dealer’s shop in Peshawar, raising fears among law enforcers of the demonstrations turning more violent.
The PTI, despite the surge in violence during its protests, maintains that its protests are “peaceful,” and the ransacking and arson is being perpetrated by “government forces” seeking to cause divisions between the Army and the party.