Asad Umar summoned by JIT in May 9 case

PTI leader confirms loyalty to Imran despite 'invitation from Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party'

LAHORE:

The Joint Investigation Team (JIT), formed to probe the cases registered against PTI leaders in the May 9 incidents and riots, has summoned the party’s former secretary general Asad Umar.

Asad has been asked to appear at the DIG/Investigation office in Lahore's Abbot Road, Qila Gujjar Singh on November 1 (today) at 4 p.m. Section 160 CrPC to record statements in five terror cases.

The Punjab government had established the JIT following the incidents of violence that occurred on May 9. These joint investigation teams have been set up at the district level with the objective of investigating the cases registered against PTI leaders and workers involved in the riots.

The investigation teams from Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Kasur, and Faisalabad have conducted inquiries at different times. They have quizzed PTI chief Imran Khan and the party's vice-chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who are currently imprisoned at Rawalpindi's Adiala jail.

‘Will remain with PTI’

Confirming his loyalty to the party chief, Asad Umar on Tuesday claimed to have received an invitation to join the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party – the newly formed Jahangir Khan Tarin-led political camp mostly comprising of ex-Imran loyalists and PTI deserters.

However, the PTI leader asserted that he would remain a part of the PTI.

He made these comments while speaking to the media after attending the proceedings of his pre-arrest bail in an FIR lodged against him, along with Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan, the sisters of former prime minister Imran Khan.

The FIR is in relation to the incidents that occurred on May 9.

Read Khadija Shah incited people to riot on May 9: Lahore CCPO

During the proceedings, the Investigation Officer (IO) informed the court that the arrest of the accused persons was necessary as they had failed to cooperate with the investigation.

It was revealed that neither the accused nor the Joint Investigation Team have appeared before the IO despite their bail pleas being heard for the past two months. The Anti-Terrorism Court has decided to further extend the bail of all three accused persons until November 22.

The IO argued that the accused individuals were attempting to deceive the court by falsely claiming that they wished to participate in the investigation while asserting that the IO was inaccessible.

However, the defence counsel challenged the narrative presented by the IO, arguing that the accused individuals were willing to cooperate with the investigation. However, the IO had prematurely declared them guilty, making it difficult to trust the fairness of the police's actions in such a situation.

Subsequently, the ATC judge directed the accused persons to join the investigation.

Meanwhile, the ATC Judge also extended the judicial remand by November 14 of accused Dr Yasmeen Rashid and Alia Hamza in the Askari Tower arson case registered against them in response to the arrest of the former premier Imran Khan.