JIT set up to investigate cases against PTI

Minister says Imran, his supporters attacked courts and law enforcers

ISLAMABAD:

Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah Khan on Thursday said the government has set up a high-level joint investigation team (JIT) to investigate four cases filed against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and his supporters for allegedly attacking courts and law enforcers, vandalism and stopping the court from functioning.

An official notification was issued in this regard on Thursday.

In a statement, the minister said the JIT would be headed by Additional Inspector General of Police Special Branch Punjab Zulfiqar Hameed, representatives of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Military Intelligence (MI) and Islamabad DIG Headquarters Awais Ahmad.

Sanaullah said that action would be taken against the accused named in the cases of vandalism at the Federal Judicial Complex as well as the Islamabad High Court and attacks on security forces.

He said that BPS-18 officers from ISI, IB, and MI will be members of the JIT, including DIG Headquarters Islamabad. He said that in 14 days, the JIT would investigate and present the challan in the court and bring the culprits to justice.

The minister said there were other cases filed against Imran, including Toshakhana and foreign funding and he should face the courts instead of attacking them.

On Feb 28, he said that Imran came with violent protestors who forcibly entered the complex by breaking the main gate and damaging the CCTV cameras. These protestors deliberately created an atmosphere of hooliganism and anarchy with an objective to stop the court from proceedings as per law.

Following this incident, he said that a case was registered at the Ramana police station which included various criminal sections, including terrorism. After that, he said that Imran came to the IHC and similarly broke the gate with a group and damaged things.

They pelted stones at the policemen in uniform who were on security duty and two cases were registered at Golra and CTD police stations. The minister said that Imran, accompanied by an armed group, came to appear at a court in Islamabad once again on March 18 and also brought stocks of sticks and stones along with weapons. He said that stones were pelted at security forces while motorcycles and vehicles of employees were set ablaze.

He (Imran Khan) did not go to the judicial complex deliberately and armed group injured the police following which a case was registered against all of them.

He said the government decided to take action against miscreants who pelted stones at the security forces and damaged public property. All the accused, including Imran, deserved to be arrested and charged with terrorism, the minister said, adding that the JIT had been formed which would look into these four cases and complete its investigation within 14 days.

The minister said that Imran appeared in the court of Lahore like a thief but people did not come out for this so-called popular leader. He said that aspirants of PTI tickets were asked to bring people and mark their attendance.

"There is a telephone record of such calls as people close to Imran Khan called such candidates," he maintained.

The minister said that the judicial staff was harassed and property was damaged. This JIT, he said, would conduct a transparent investigation and bring the perpetrators of violent acts to justice. It would also investigate propaganda of Imran against police officers as the only solution to stop chaos and anarchy and take strict legal action against those who were making false allegations.