PM seeks ‘SC full court’ panel to probe Imran’s allegations

Shehbaz says he will quit politics if found involved in assassination attempt on PTI chief

LAHORE:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday requested Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to form a “full court commission” to probe into the allegations levelled by PTI Chairman Imran Khan, wherein he accused the premier, interior minister and a senior military official of orchestrating the failed assassination attempt on him.

On Thursday, the former premier suffered bullet wounds to his leg after a gunman opened fire on his container, as he led the PTI’s ‘Haqeeqi Azadi March’ in Wazirabad.

One person died in the incident, while several PTI leaders were injured.

“I am requesting the chief justice of Pakistan to constitute a full court commission and include all judges,” PM Shehbaz said while addressing a news conference in Lahore.

The prime minister vehemently rejected the allegations that he, interior minister and the senior military official had any ties to the attack on Imran during PTI’s long march.

“If Imran Khan brings forward any evidence of the involvement [of me and the other two] in this incident, I will have no right to remain in the PM’s office.

He further announced that If was found involved in any conspiracy to assassinate Imran, he would quit politics.

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PM Shehbaz said he would formally write to the CJP to request him to constitute the full court commission headed by a top court judge.

“The federal government will also fully cooperate with the commission and accept its findings wholeheartedly,” he added.

The prime minister said the same full court commission should also investigate the murder of journalist Arshad Sharif and the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.

To a question of why he was insisting on a full court, PM Shehbaz said the government did not want to give the PTI chief any opportunity to question the exclusion of any judge.

He added that Imran's allegations had shook the foundations of the country, necessitating a full court commission.

Read more: ISPR rejects Imran statement as "unacceptable, uncalled for"

To a question that if a full court commission of the top court was going to probe into this incident then who would be the apparent authority, the prime minister replied that this was not the first time such a body would be formed.

To a question, PM Shehbaz said the government had considered the demand of the army to take action against the propaganda campaign against it.

He added that he would be holding a meeting later in the day to decide what action should be initiated against Imran.

A day earlier, the Pakistan Army had requested the government to investigate the matter and initiate legal action against those responsible for defamation and false accusations against the institution and its officials without any evidence.

During Saturday’s media interaction, the prime minister lashed out at the PTI chief for accusing him, interior minister and a senior military official of planning the attack on him, saying that India was using his statement to target Pakistan’s institutions.

“You [Imran Khan] are pushing the nation towards destruction through lies. It’s my responsibility to save the nation from this destruction,” he added.

PM Shehbaz claimed that the PTI chief was a “liar from head to toe”.

The premier said investigating the PTI chief’s allegations that had “jolted the foundations” of the country have become inevitable to bury the ”conspiracy against state institutions”.

Also read: Imran breaks silence of botched assassination attempt

“Imran’s life is full of contradictions,” PM Shehbaz maintained, while referring to the past statements of the PTI chief appreciating the army chief.

“Imran Khan would appreciate [Chief of Army Staff] General Qamar Javed Bajwa and say that he is standing with me,” the premier recalled the PTI chief's statement when he was the prime minister.

The prime minister lamented the PTI’s social media brigade criticising the Pakistan Army using foul and vulgar language.

“One cannot even imagine that anyone can stoop so low… we have reached a point in history where we have to separate the truth from lies,” he added.

PM Shehbaz also raised questions over the security arrangements of the Punjab government, saying that the Centre had already issued a threat alert and a communiqué was sent to the provincial authorities before the attack on the PTI convoy in Wazirabad.

“Why did Imran Khan go straight to the Shaukat Khanum Hospital? Why did he not visit any government hospital to receive a medico-legal certificate,” the premier remarked.

PM Shehbaz also rejected the allegation that the federal government was pressuring the Punjab police not to register an FIR of the attack on the PTI chief.