The Rawalpindi police on Monday said that the vandals involved in an attack on an outlet of an international fast food chain in the city’s Saddar area had been traced through closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.
The incident is another in a string of multiple recent attacks on outlets of international fast-food chains across the country, particularly Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), in support for the Israeli attacks on Gaza.
A first information report (FIR) of the incident was lodged at the Cantt police station by the manager of the KFC Saddar branch under sections 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) and 506(ii) (criminal intimidation if threat be to cause death or grievous hurt, etc) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The complainant said he was working as the manager at the branch on Sunday at 8:30pm when he heard clamour and upon exiting his office, saw 10-12 individuals armed with sticks and rods who were abusing other patrons and families in the restaurant and shouting slogans.
“When we stopped them from doing so, they abused us and kept threatening to kill us. I am filing a petition against them. Action should be taken,” the FIR read.
A statement from the Rawalpindi police said the suspects had been identified and would be arrested as well as brought to justice soon.
It said that police personnel had been deployed at the branches of international food chains.
“Lawbreaking, rioting and misbehaviour towards citizens will not be tolerated under any circumstances. The message is clear that those who violate the law and create a riot will be tackled with an iron hand,” the statement warned.
Police spokesperson Inspector Malik Sajjad-ul-Hassan told Dawn.com that the suspects had been identified through CCTV footage and they will be arrested soon after obtaining their data from the National Database and Registration Authority.
