Sindh govt to form inquiry committee to probe Captain Safdar’s arrest

PTI's leadership has desecrated the shrine many times as well, says Murad

KARACHI:

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday said the provincial government has decided to form an inquiry committee to probe the arrest of PML-N leader Capt (retd) Safdar Awan from a hotel in Karachi a day earlier.

On October 19, Sindh Police arrested Safdar for chanting slogans of ‘vote ko izzat do’ [respect the vote] and 'Māder-e Millat Zindabad' [long live Mother of the Nation] at Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum and for allegedly threatening to kill someone.

The arrest came in response to a case filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) local MPAs against Maryam Nawaz, Safdar and other PML-N leaders.

During a press conference in Karachi, CM Murad said the PML-N leadership visited Mazar-e-Quaid and “some things happened which should not have happened”.

However, he claimed that PTI's leadership has desecrated the shrine many times as well.

“A false case can be filed but police did its due diligence,” CM Murad said. “I am not saying that the case was wrong, this is my own opinion, and that is for the court to decide. I cannot give a verdict here as it would compromise the inquiry.”

The chief minister added that three to five ministers would be part of the investigation committee and will present the findings to the [federal] government to ensure action can be taken and the people appraised of the facts of the situation.

Murad said the matter would also be raised in the Sindh Assembly

“Their [PTI’s] intentions violated the sanctity of Quaid-e-Azam’s shrine,” he said, “That person who registered [namely Waqas] the FIR is a proclaimed offender. He comes from the national highway and then sits with PTI members and registers the case. Later he says that he received death threats.”

Referring to the incident, Murad said the whole episode shows PTI's incompetence and it is necessary to change the government for the betterment of the people.