Sana urges JIT to ensure transparent probe

Interior minister regrets PTI’s ‘hate campaign’ against govt, political parties

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government demanded of the Punjab government on Thursday to constitute a joint investigation team (JIT), comprising senior officers to investigate the attack on Imran Khan’s container in a fair and credible manner.

Addressing a press conference along with Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the entire government and its allies had condemned the firing incident in Wazirabad.

“The federal government has assured the Punjab government of every assistance during the investigation,” he said. He appealed for shunning the politics of violence and hatred and not to put the country in any danger.

He condemned the firing incident and said that prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and the coalition partners of the government had expressed deep grief and sorrow over this tragic incident.

Rana condemned the statements of senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Dr Shireen Mazari, who accused the minister and an institution for involvement in this incident.

The Interior Minister said that another senior PTI leader, Fawad Chaudhry, should also avoid irresponsible statement of taking revenge which might create unrest.

He said the PTI leaders were inciting people by holding the prime minister, the interior minister and an official of an institution responsible for the incident. “If you ignite the fire, remember that you will also be burned in this fire”, he warned.

The minister said that Punjab chief minister and Punjab government should resign after the alleged attacker’s video was leaked. He also commended PTI worker and police for nabbing the accused red-handed, otherwise, some people might have had more opportunities to politicise this issue.

Following the instructions of the prime minister, he said that the provincial government had been assured that the federal government was ready to provide whatever assistance was required in the investigation of the matter. “A JIT consisting of senior officers should be formed for the investigation.”

“We condemned all forms of violence. Before this, the PML-N [Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz] was a victim of violence in 2017 and 2018,” the interior minister told reporters.

“The latest example was the incident that happened in Masjid-e-Nabawi, in which the leaders of a political party used inappropriate words against political opponents near the shrine of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).”

Rana said that the Saudi government arrested these people and gave exemplary punishments. After the incident, the prime minister went to Saudi Arabia and requested Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the release of these people and they were released.

He said that PTI Secretary General Asad Umar gave a statement on behalf of Imran Khan that the responsibility of this attack lied on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and an officer of an institution.

“Look at the confession statement of the accused, who was caught by your worker and handed over to the Punjab Police. There is your government and the chief minister but you are trying to use this incident for nefarious purposes without any evidence,” he added.

Rana Sanaullah said that the statement of the accused should not have disseminated in the media. “The statement of the accused was leaked, did we do this too, or the police, the Punjab government,” he asked. He demanded the resignation of the Punjab government instead of suspension of the police officials.

“The statement of the assailant is clear as to why he attacked and resorted to violence. I condemn such thinking but if youth are misled then some misled person might target you,” he added. Without investigation and evidence, PTI had been trying to politicise this incident which was unfair.

To a question, the minister said that he was a political worker and support coordination and contacts among political parties to resolve issues through negotiation. “But what we can do as our opponent demonstrate stubborn attitude and refuse to sit with us,” he added.

The minister said that federal government had serious concerns over this security lapse despite threats but ready to cooperate with Punjab government for credible and fair investigation.

Meanwhile, the federal government had formally written a letter to the Punjab government for constituting the JIT, including senior police officers and other law enforcement agencies.

The Interior Ministry on Thursday in a letter to the Punjab chief secretary and the Additional chief secretary as well as the inspector general of the Punjab police.