ISLAMABAD: Leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party rejected the first information report (FIR) registered against “unidentified suspects” late on Monday, no less than four days after the gun attack on former prime minister Imran Khan which he blamed on the prime minister and a top official of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
The complaint — which left out Shehbaz Sharif, his minister for interior Rana Sanaullah Khan, and Maj. Gen. Faisal Naseer of the spy agency — was lodged several hours after the Supreme Court instructed Faisal Shahkar, the outgoing chief of the Punjab police, to do the same within 24 hours, and assured him of its support during the investigation.
It was registered under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, and Sections 302 (punishment for murder); 324 (attempt to commit murder); and 440 (mischief committed after preparation made for causing death or hurt) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Sub-Inspector Amir Shahzad has been made the complainant instead of the party.
Subsequently, on Tuesday, Shahkar submitted a compliance report to the court.
Responding to the development, several members of the opposition party, through tweets and statements, rejected the report as a “mockery” of the Supreme Court’s directive, and announced to contest it.
PTI will ‘ABSOLUTELY NOT’ accept any FIR that doesn’t include the names of Shehbaz Sharif, Rana Sanaullah and Maj Gen Faisal.
#FIR_Rejected pic.twitter.com/zssHMekrQg— PTI (@PTIofficial) November 7, 2022
In a thinly-veiled reference to the military, Fawad Chaudhry, senior vice president of the party, said the people of Pakistan will never accept that a “particular group remained above the law” of the land.
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
The FIR of the gun attack, he said, “could not be registered because there is no rule of law in the country […] a powerful group is holding the political and judicial system of the country hostage”, he said in a series of tweets.
“The army is an established force in Pakistan, but under the leadership of Imran Khan, the people are [also] an organised force. Institutions will have to accept the people’s rights — this matter has to be settled.
“The people will not accept now that a group remains above the law. There will be justice in Arshad Sharif, Azam Khan Swati and Wazirabad attack cases.”
Musarrat Jamshed Cheema, a spokesperson to the chief minister of Punjab, said a complaint which did not name the prime suspects named by the victim was a “waste of time”, and would complicate the matter.
یہ ہے FIR کے نام پر وہ مذاق جو اس قوم کے ساتھ کھیلا گیا ہے. جس میں ان اشخاص کا نام ہی نہیں ہے جن پر مدعی کو شک ہے. چئیرمین کی جانب سے FIR زبیر نیازی نے جمع کروانی گھی لیکن یہ FIR پولیس اہلکار کی مدعیت میں درج کی گئی.
یہ قوم کے ساتھ ایک گھناؤنا مذاق ہے اور وقت کے ضیاع کی کوشش ہے. pic.twitter.com/JNAE0yK90h
— Musarrat Cheema (@MusarratCheema) November 7, 2022
She said that such a “cover-up” is unacceptable to Khan and the entire nation, adding that it was a matter which “concerned the life of Pakistan’s most popular leader, not a joke”.
Similarly, Shireen Mazari described the case as a “sheer mockery of the law and Supreme Court order.”
The FIR registered in Wazirabad thana is sheer mockery of the law & SC order. An attempt at a complete cover up by the 3 accused thru the power of their positions & the State. Seems regime change conspirators hellbent on destroying Pak totally for their own ends. #FIR_Rejected
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) November 7, 2022
Accusing police of trying to “cover-up” the involvement of the three officials, she added: “Seems regime change conspirators hell-bent on destroying Pakistan totally for their own ends.”
Meanwhile, supporters of Khan blocked roads near the capital on Tuesday, disrupting traffic and forcing schools to close, as they protested against the bid to assassinate their leader.
The party began its protests on major roads around Islamabad late on Monday. The protestors have blocked the highway to Islamabad airport, and the ones linking the capital to the cities of Lahore and Peshawar.
Television footage showed Khan’s supporters burning tyres as they set up protest camps across roads.
The government ordered all state and private schools to shut for the day, according to an order seen by Reuters.
— With Reuters
