Sahiwal Incident: Shehbaz demands resignations of PM Khan, Punjab CM
Punjab CM could not act without seeking permission from PM Imran
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – In the aftermath of Sahiwal incident, Leader of Opposition in National Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.
Speaking on the floor of the Lower House of the Parliament, he said that the government had announced to make public the JIT report into Sahiwal incident but this couldn’t have done.
The opposition leader said that the Punjab government should explain its position on disinformation.
Shehbaz went on to say that the federal ministers had said that the JIT would submit report in 72 hours, which did not materialise.
He said: “Imran Khan had asked for my resignation and arrest of Rana Sanaullah after the Model Town incident after which then Punjab law minister had voluntarily stepped down three days after the incident.”
On Tuesday, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar while removing top police officials, has decided to prosecute the CTD officials under anti-terror law.
Talking to media in Lahore, Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat said that the Sahiwal tragedy is a test case for the Punjab government, adding that the provincial government will fulfill all requirements for justice.
Raja Basharat said that the government has decided to remove the DIG and SSP Counter Terrorism Department from their posts.
“The government has promised to conduct transparent investigations,” he said and added the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) had been formed on the orders of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The provincial minister said that according to the initial report, the CTD officers were responsible for the killing in Sahiwal, adding that the JIT report found no link between Khalil family and terrorism.
He said that the details of the decisions of the meeting would soon be shared with the media.
Four persons including two women were shot dead by the CTD officers in a purportedly high-speed pursuit in Qadirabad area of Sahiwal city.
CTD claimed that the ‘terrorists’ were killed in an intelligence-based operation (IBO). Three other terrorists including Shahid Jabar and Abdul Rahman managed to flee during the chase near the toll plaza of Sahiwal.
CTD claimed of confiscating explosives and weapons from the car adding that officers were investigating into the matter as part of the operation in Faisalabad on January 16.
Contrarily, an eye witness has told the media that the deceased were neither equipped with any weapon nor resisted officers whereas three children were also present in the car.
The eyewitnesses further said that the children while speaking to them at a nearby petrol station claimed that the “police has killed their parents”. “Following the firing incident, the police left the children at the petrol station where they spoke to us. A few minutes later, however, CTD officials returned and took the children with them to an undisclosed location,” the eyewitnesses added.
