SHANGLA: A local court on Tuesday acquitted all the eight individuals, including Bisham tehsil council chairman Sadeedur Rehman and former provincial assembly candidate Saddar Rehman, in the Feb 9, 2024, violence case, which had resulted in the death of two youth due to alleged police firing.

District and sessions judge Mamrez Khan Khalil announced the verdict.

On Feb 9, thousands of PTI workers had gathered at the main square in Alpuri after the elections on February 8 last year to protest alleged rigging in the NA-11 constituency, where PML-N leader and Federal Minister for Kashmir and GilgitBaltistan Eng Amir Muqam and PTPs Haji Syed Fareen were inthe fray.

The protesters allegedly torched the official vehicle of the assistant election commissioner and also tried to snatch election material from it. They claimed that forms 36 and 45 were snatched from the polling staff from 115 polling stations, and the staff was also tortured.

On the same day, the Alpuri police registered a case againstPTI candidate Syed Fareen, his son Sadeedur Rehman, nephew Saddar Rehman Advocate, and eight others for torching the official vehicle and inciting people to violence.

The accused were formally charged in the court of sessions judge. However, they denied allcharges.

After hearing arguments from both the defence and government lawyers, the sessions judge ordered the acquittal of all individuals in the case.

Meanwhile, deputy commissioner Mohammad Fawad on Tuesday ordered relevant officials to ensure strict compliance with the official price list and to take action against offences suchas price gouging and adulteration.

He issued the directives while presiding over a meeting of the district food steering committee.

The Alpuri assistant commissioner, the district food controller and leaders of traders` bodies were also in attendance.

Mr Fawad said quality of food items at fair price should be available to consumers.