Sound system and video vendor Asif Nazar Butt, aka DJ Butt, on Thursday decried the treatment meted to him by police and said that they had subjected him to more injustice this time than the last time he was taken into custody.
The DJ was referring to the time when he was arrested during PTI’s sit-in in 2014, where he was tasked with the sound arrangement for public addresses.
On his arrest at the time, Prime Minister Imran Khan had called out the authorities and asked under which law had the police arrested him.
“Under what law is police arresting our workers who have been peaceful throughout? Arresting DJ Butt because he did our music/lights is N’s tyranny,” he wrote, lashing out at then prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
“Sir [PM Imran Khan] you said that you would bring reforms. I don’t see any reforms […] These policemen hurled abusive words at my mother […] it would be better if they had killed me,” DJ Butt said.
Butt claimed that the police officers were asking for his sister and mother’s name and it was “unbearable” for him.
“I was sleeping in my office. They came and choked me and dragged me away. I was unable to breathe,” he said.
The sound system vendor said that he was “treated like a terrorist”.
“I am a labourer, let me earn […] If there is a ban on installing speakers, then keep my equipment,” he said to the government.
DJ Butt regretted that he was unable to pay his children’s school fees, and rent for his shop and house, and his only concern was to earn an honest man’s wage.
DJ Butt granted bail
Earlier in the day, a local court in Lahore granted bail to DJ Butt and released him on bail against surety bonds worth Rs50,000.
Butt was arrested a day ago in a case pertaining to possessing illegal weapons. However, during the hearing, Butt maintained that the rifle was legally owned and he had a license for it. He also claimed to have been beaten and tortured by police in custody.
The DJ was famous for providing the sound system for the PTI’s 2014 sit-in in Islamabad. Most recently, he has been providing the sound system to Opposition’s public gatherings.
The arrest came ahead of Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) December 13 public gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan. DJ Butt’s company is tasked with making the sound arrangements for the rally, which is being hosted by PML-N.
The Opposition is adamant about continuing its protest against the ruling PTI government across the country despite the Punjab government denying permission to hold a public gathering citing a surge in coronavirus cases. The Opposition is also devising a strategy for mass resignations from the assemblies and planning a long march to Islamabad.
In an interview with Hamza Ali Abbasi on Hum News, Prime Minister Imran Khan had reiterated that the government would not grant permission for the public meeting, and instead, will file an FIR against the organisers, from the kursi wala to the sound system handlers. “I will give up my office but will not grant them (Opposition) an NRO,” he stressed.Â
