Imran welcomes PM-suggested SC probe panel on gun attack

Pakistan's former premier Imran Khan welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's call for a full court commission of the Supreme Court to investigate his allegations that senior government and military officials were behind the attack on him. 

The long march of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which came to a standstill after the assassination attempt on Imran Khan in Wazirabad, will resume its journey on Tuesday (tomorrow) from the same place where the party chief Imran was injured in the gun attack, reports Dawn. 

Imran Khan was discharged from Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and moved to his residence in Zaman Park in the evening.

Khan stated that the march is set to continue to Islamabad, led by the leadership of party Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi.  However, the former PM is expected to rejoin the march in 10-14 days in Rawalpindi- depending on the speed of the march. 

He is also expected to address the crowds through a digital platform from Lahore. 

FIR over gun attack

The former prime minister questioned the delay in the registration. He also added that the case needed to be registered against the Prime minister, interior minister, and a senior intelligence official for "hatching a conspiracy to kill him".

He stated that the Punjab police were "rel­u­c­tant to register the FIR". Khan also revealed that he was taken aback by the adamancy of the police officer about not including the name of the military officer in the FIR but by their readiness to nominate the prime minister and the interior minister in the case. 

"Policemen concerned requested that they be transferred from the post…[and] some other officer may register the FIR nominating suspects mentioned by me," he claimed.

Khan questioned the credibility of the justice system since even a former premier is unable to register a case without difficulty. 

 "There are people who consider themselves above the law, which unfortunately dismantles the whole edifice of the judicial system in the country," he lamented.

The commission's performance was also brought under the spotlight since those to be probed will be present in the office during the investigation.

"How can we have an impartial and fair investigation? It can't happen. That's why I asked them to resign so the investigation can be fair."

The police say there was pressure from "above, while the IG Police states the accused interview video was hacked," he stated. 

 "Since then I knew well, that the PML-N government functionaries with the connivance of army officers were hatching a conspiracy to eliminate me in the manner former Punjab governor Salman Taseer was killed," he added that he had previously exposed this plan during his public meeting speeches and interview. 

"The PTI-PML-Q government could get an FIR registered against the three PML-N leaders Maryam Nawaz, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Javed Latif after a 'great effort'," he said. 

However, no legal actions have been taken against the accused so far. 

ISPR Statement 

The PTI chairman expressed his surprise over the statement by the ISPR DG Lt Gen Babar Iftikhar who claimed that allegations against one army officer were defaming the entire institution. Denying the claims, Khan revealed that accusations against one person did not reflect negatively on the entire institution.

Khan raised concern of the lack of action against the cipher and asked why the cipher was not being investigated. 

"Maybe the cipher does not represent interference or conspiracy but it can only be ascertained after a thorough and fair investigation," he added.

Meanwhile, the PTI leader also urged the CJP to investigate the kidnapping, torture, and release of an 'obscene' video of Azam Swati.

He alleged that the video was not fake but recorded at Judicial Lodges in Quetta during Azam Swati's visit along with his wife.