Former minister Waqas Akram booked under terrorism charges over May 9 violence

TOBA TEK SINGH – A case has been registered against PTI leader and former federal minister Sheikh Waqas Akram under terrorism charges for provoking people against the state.

The first information report (FIR) was registered at the Jhang’s Kotwali police station on the complaint of a citizen named Muhammad Tanveer Abbas Khan, who alleged that following Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9, Akram in a video statement incited people to attack the homes of those who had arrested their leader.

The FIR further said that people damaged military installations and public properties after they were instigated by the PTI leader. The complainant called the statement of Akram tantamount to treason and terrorism.

The police registered the case under Section 7 of Anti-Terrorism Act, Section 505 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 16 of Maintenance of Peace Order.

On Friday night, police raided his house in Jhang but could not arrest him as he was not present there.

Sheikh Waqas Akram had joined the PTI in March this year. Earlier, he served as a federal minister during the tenure of PML-N government from 2013-18.