Govt constitutes JIT to probe PTI attacks on courts
Pakistan
Rana Sanaullah said that action will be taken against the named accused in the cases.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah Khan on Thursday said the government has decided to set up a high-level Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to investigate four cases filed against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan and his supporters for allegedly attacking courts and law enforcers, vandalism and stopping the court from functioning.
Speaking during a press conference, the minister said the JIT would be headed by Additional Inspector General of Police Special Branch Punjab Zulfiqar Hameed and representatives of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Military Intelligence (MI) and DIG Headquarters Islamabad Awais Ahmad.
Rana Sanaullah said that action will be taken against the named accused in the cases of vandalism in the judicial complex as well as Islamabad High Court and attacks on security forces.
He said that BPS-18 officers from ISI, IB and MI will be members of the JIT including DIG Headquarters Islamabad. He said that in 14 days, the JIT will investigate and present the challan in the court and bring the culprits into justice.
The minister said there are other cases filed against Imran Khan including Toshakhana and foreign funding and he should face the courts instead of attacking them. On February 28, he said that Imran Khan came with violent protestors who forcibly entered the complex by breaking the main gate and damaging the CCTV cameras. These protestors deliberately created an atmosphere of hooliganism and anarchy with an objective to stop the court from proceedings as per law.
Following this incident, he said that a case was registered with Ramana Police Station which included various criminal sections including terrorism.
After that, he said that Imran Niazi came to Islamabad High Court and similarly broke the gate with a group and damaged things. They pelted stones at policemen in uniform who were on security duty and two cases were registered at Golra and CTD police stations.
The minister said that Imran Khan, accompanied by an armed group, came to appear in a court of Islamabad once again on March 18 which also brought stocks of sticks and stones along with weapons. He said that stones were pelted on security forces while motorcycles and vehicles of employees were set ablaze. He (Imran Khan) did not go to the judicial complex deliberately and armed group injured the police following which a case was registered against all of them.
He said the government has decided to take action against miscreants who pelted stones at the security forces and damaged public property. All the accused including Imran Khan Niazi deserved to be arrested and charged with terrorism, the minister said adding that JIT has been formed which will look into these four cases and complete its investigation within 14 days.
The minister said that Imran Khan, considering him as popular leader, appeared in the court of Lahore like a thief but people did not come out for this so called popular leader. He said that aspirants of PTI tickets were asked to bring people and mark their attendance. “There is a telephone record of such calls as people close to Imran Khan called to such candidates,” he maintained.
The minister said that judicial staff was harassed and property was damaged. This JIT, he said, would conduct a transparent investigation and bring the perpetrators of violence acts to justice. It would also investigate propaganda of Imran Khan against police officers as the only solution to stop chaos and anarchy and take strict legal action against those making false allegations.
