Raoof Hasan, the central spokesperson for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was attacked by a group of transgender individuals in Islamabad on Tuesday.
According to the spokesperson for Islamabad Police, Hasan was attacked with a blade outside a private TV office. “Eyewitnesses reported that transgender individuals struck Raoof Hasan on the face with a blade,” he added. He said that the police officials were present at the scene and collecting evidence. “Strict action will be taken against the transgender individuals involved in this attack,” he further said. Following the attack, the perpetrators managed to flee the scene with ease. Hasan has been transferred to a hospital for medical treatment. The incident was raised in the Senate by PTI Senator Shibli Faraz, who informed the upper house during a session, calling the incident “unacceptable.”
“The spokesperson for the largest party of Pakistan has been attacked. This is shameful and unacceptable,” he added.
Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar responded, stating, “The opposition leader has just shared this matter. Who attacked, where the attack occurred – these issues will be examined as per law. Raoof Hasan should file a report, and action will be taken according to the law.” In response to the assault on Hasan, PTI staged a walkout from the Senate, condemning the attack and demanding swift action from the authorities. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan condemned the attack, demanding immediate investigation and action. According to sources, five teams have commenced investigations from various angles. They said that CCTV and safe city cameras are being utilised to aid the investigation, adding that checkpoints have been established at different locations to arrest the assailants. They reveal that the attack appears to be an assassination attempt, adding that the blade used during the incident caused a deep wound to the face of the PTI leader.
PTI founder Imran Khan also strongly condemned the cowardly attack, vowing that PTI would not be deterred by such dirty tactics and violence which only served to expose the perpetrators before the nation. In a statement, he claimed that the entire nation knew who was orchestrating these attacks on PTI’s leadership. “It’s the same powers that lurk in the shadows and use proxies to harass and threaten judges and make a mockery of elections by brazenly tampering results,” he added. “Let us make it very clear that PTI will not be deterred by such dirty tactics and violence which only serve to expose the perpetrators before the nation,” Khan vowed.
