Imran apologises for mistreatment of newsmen at PTI protest

ISLAMABAD: A protest led by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) outside the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) headquarters in Islamabad turned into a massive brawl on Monday as party activists thrashed newsmen, prompting the party chairman to tender an apology to the media.

Chairman Imran Khan had earlier announced that the PTI would stage a sit-in outside the NAB headquarters in the federal capital. He had stated that the call for protest was given because of the anti-graft body's failure to hold a probe into offshore entities allegedly owned by the Sharif family as per the Panama Papers disclosures.

Scores of PTI workers and supporters gathered today outside the NAB offices to protest against it and file a reference against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The protesters, however, subjected visiting mediamen to torture. Charged workers freely punched and kicked reporters and cameramen of various channels outside the NAB office.

Shortly after the incident, PTI Chairman Imran Khan apologised for mistreatment of journalists at the hands of protesters. Speaking to media in Islamabad, he said that the party would investigate the matter and promised to take action against those found responsible.