Pakistan: More than 200 Sikhs booked

Over 200 Sikhs were booked for attacking, assaulting and rioting at the Parliament House, police said on Saturday. The case was registered in response to a complaint lodged by the SHO of the secretariat police station, stating that over 225 Sikhs staged a protest and put up resistance at Radio Pakistan Chowk, when the police tried to intercept them. Later, they entered the Parliament House after breaking its gates. Fifteen Sikhs were nominated in the FIR, along with 225 unknown protesters. However, no arrests were made and the 12 Sikhs arrested from the spot at the time of the incident were released on the directions of a legislator, the police said. The police officials said the incident took place as there was no clear policy. The officers deployed at the spot sent wireless messages, seeking instructions, but got no response. As a result, the protesters first thrashed the police at Dhokri Chowk and later at Radio Pakistan Chowk and moved towards the Parliament House, the police said, adding that they tried to baton charge the protesters and fired tear gas shells but failed to intercept them. Later, the policemen deployed at the Parliament House surrendered their posts to save themselves from being manhandled by the protesters.