ISLAMABAD: Following the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP), the Punjab Police have finally registered the First Information Report (FIR) of the assassination attempt on former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s life during his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) long march last Thursday.
However, three top three officials — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and a senior officer of the intelligence agency — as cited by the PTI chief have not been named in the case.
The FIR has been registered at the Police Station (City) Wazirabad on the complaint of the Station House Officer (SHO) Sub-Inspector Amir Shahzad.
The FIR that was sealed by the Punjab Police has been leaked to the media and according to its contents, as the march was proceeding in the city, an unidentified person, who was later identified as Naveed at around 4pm opened fire with a pistol from the left side of the container.
As a result, an activist of PTI identified as Moazzam, son of Nawaz of Bharoki Cheema, received a bullet injury, which proved fatal for him, the FIR said, adding in the meantime, PTI Chairman Imran Khan, Mohammad Ahmad Chatha, Hamza Altaf, Faisal Javed, Mian Azhar Hussain, Imran Yousaf, Rashid Mahmood, Muhammad Liaquat, Zahid Hussain, Umar Farooq, Areeb Hassan and some unknown persons also received bullet injuries.
The case has been registered against Naveed, the lone assailant under charges of murder, terrorism and attempt to murder and planning to kill someone.
Imran Khan’s nephew and General Secretary of PTI Lahore chapter, Zubair Niazi had also lodged a complaint against the top three officials as mentioned above but his request was not entertained.
PTI not to consider legal the FIR without three names
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry while reacting to the registration of FIR said his party would consider legal only the FIR that has the names of the three officials nominated by the party chief.
We will not accept any distortion in the names, he later said in a TV interview.
Imran Khan in a statement on Tuesday also dismissed the FIR and made it clear that he would not become part of any investigation if the three names were excluded from the First Information Report.
Leader of the allied party of the PTI in Punjab, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and former federal minister Moonis Elahi, however, while replying to a question on social media, said the police have been stopped from registering FIR against ‘the unidentified people.’
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) had directed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Faisal Shahkar to register an FIR in accordance with the law and submit a report within 24 hours.
While addressing Punjab’s IGP the CJP had warned, “At the moment, we are not taking suo moto notice on the matter and providing you an opportunity to do the needful in twenty-four hour. You will get full support in discharging of your professional duties and capabilities so go head in accordance with the law. However if the case is not registered then we shall take action.”
Upon IGP’s reply that the Punjab government was trying to influence him, the Chief Justice made it clear that no interference would be tolerated.
“There is an attempt made on the life of a national leader; therefore, you must take it seriously and conduct investigation in accordance with law,” the CJP had directed.
