Punjab IG submits report to SC regarding FIR in Imran's assassination case

PTI leaders denounce registration of FIR against complainant's demand

Inspector General Punjab Faisal Shahkar submitted on Tuesday a report to the Supreme Court (SC) regarding the FIR registered in the assassination case on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan.

The report maintained that an FIR of the attack had been registered in "compliance" with the SC’s order.

According to the report, the FIR was registered at Wazirabad City police station, under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. The apex court was also provided a copy of the FIR.

A day earlier, the SC had directed the Punjab IG to register the FIR in accordance with the law and submit a report within 24 hours.

Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial said that if the matter was prolonged, the SC will take suo motu action.

Following the SC ultimatum, an FIR was registered, in which prime suspect Naveed, who was arrested from the spot, was nominated in the case registered under various charges including terrorism, murder, attempt to murder and planning to kill someone.

Special prosecution team formed

A notification has been issued by anti-terror court chief Khurram Khan, stating that a three-member special prosecution team has been formed to investigate the case of the assassination of the former premier.

Read Information about attack came from 'within intelligence agencies': Imran

The committee “will give [a] line of inquiry to the investigating officer/ JIT (joint investigation team), provide guidance for collection of proper admissible evidence and conduct the remand of the accused before the anti-terrorism court (ATC)”, the notification stated.

It further maintained that the panel will also conduct the prosecution on behalf of the state before the court.

The committee consists of Punjab Deputy Prosecutor General Hafiz Asghar Ali, and Gujranwala ATC Deputy District Public Prosecutors Rana Sultan Salahuddin Khan and Zahid Sarfraz Khan.

On the other hand, the Punjab Interior Department is to constitute a five-member JIT, and according to sources in the home department, it has received a letter from the Punjab Police.

The provincial police wrote a letter to the interior department for the formation of a JIT to investigate the attack.

The letter requests that someone be selected from amongst Additional IG Riaz Nazir Garha, DIG Investigation Punjab Nasir Sati, Additional IG Monitoring Investigation Ehsanullah Chauhan, RO Naseebullah Lahore, and intelligence.

'No rule of law'

Earlier in the day Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Chaudhry Fawad Hussain complained about there being "no rule of law", and "powerful groups holding the country's political and judicial system hostage".

The former minister's remarks came as he expressed disappointment over the FIR registered against the attack on former prime minister Imran Khan in Wazirabad.

Further criticising the political system in place in the country, Fawad said that "when Narendra Modi says he does not understand who to talk to in Pakistan, we have no answer".

وزیر آباد سانحہ کا پرچہ درج نہیں ہو سکا کیونکہ ملک میں Rule of Law نہیں طاقتور گروہ ملک کے سیاسی اور عدالتی نظام کو یرغمال بنائے ہوئے ہے اس لئے جب نریندر مودی پاکستان کیلئے کہتا ہے کہ ہمیں سمجھ نہیں آتی بات کس سے کرنی ہے تو ہمارے پاس کوئ جواب نہیں ہوتا

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) November 8, 2022

He noted that the Pakistan Army was a national power. However, the people are now "an organized force under the leadership of Imran Khan".

He asserted that justice will be sought in the cases of Arshad Sharif, Azam Swati and the Wazirabad attack.

پاکستان میں فوج ایک مسلمہ طاقت ہے لیکن عوام اب عمران خان کی قیادت میں ایک منظم قوت ہیں، اداروں کو عوام کے حقوق ماننا ہوں گے اس معاملے کا حل ہونا ضروری ہے، عوام یہ تسلیم نہیں کرے گی کہ ایک گروہ قانون سے بالاتر رہے،ارشد شریف اعظم سواتی اور وزیر آباد حملہ ان معاملات میں انصاف ہو گا

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) November 8, 2022

In another tweet, PTI leader Shafqat Mahmood also expressed dissatisfaction over the FIR not being registered "as per the demand of the complainant".

Read more LHC moved for release of accused held for attacking Imran

He said that this is "complete distortion of law", adding that it was "unacceptable". The former education minister urged the Supreme Court (SC) to take notice of it.

"By this one act our entire legal framework has been turned upside down," said Mahmood.

Not registering FIR as per the demand of the complainant is a complete distortion of law and unacceptable. By this one act our entire legal framework has been turned upside down. SC must take notice of this travesty

— Shafqat Mahmood (@Shafqat_Mahmood) November 8, 2022

 

Zubair Niazi, a relative of Imran Khan and general-secretary of PTI Lahore chapter, had lodged a complaint before the relevant station house officer (SHO) to register the FIR against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and Major General Faisal Naseer named by Imran as suspects in the failed assassination attempt.

However, the FIR has been registered on the complaint of the sub-inspector police and the three top officials cited by the PTI chief have not been nominated in the case.

Police asks for routes to airport to be cleared

The Federal police wrote to the interior secretary and chief commissioner, seeking permission to clear the M1 and M2 motorways leading to Islamabad airport. Due to protests by PTI supporters, passengers arriving at Islamabad International Airport were facing severe difficulties due to closed routes.

In its letter, the police maintained that the airport was an important facility and the roads to it were of the utmost importance. It stated that Articles 97/149 and Article 151 of the Constitution guaranteed the security of the airport and its routes.

The letter said that the Islamabad airport and its routes were administratively within the boundaries of Punjab and that all important personnel travelled through those roads. It added that any untoward incident at the airport could disrepute the country.

According to the letter, the obstructions at the Thalian and Peshawar Motorway were also causing problems.

It furthered that the Islamabad police should be given complete powers and be ordered to clear the roads. Moreover, it stated that constitutionally, clear instructions should be given to the chief secretary of Punjab and the police chief.

“All provinces should be told that access should be given to three toll plazas”.