LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said after a lapse of 48 hours, there was no progress in the registration of FIR on the Wazirabad incident, “a person of such great importance was attacked and the investigation has not started yet,” he added.

While talking to the media here on Saturday, Qureshi said the delay in registration of the case raised some serious questions. “It is a high profile case in which an assassination attempt was made on a former prime minister and the head of Pakistan’s largest party, and still the police were reluctant to file the case. It seems that the police’s hands are tied and facing some serious pressure in the matter. It is a serious situation,” he added.

To a question, PTI vice chairman said there was a protest in Rawalpindi the other day, which falls in Punjab, and yet the Islamabad police and Frontier Constabulary entered there and took action. “Did they take permission from the Punjab government? Who was releasing the video of the accused? Was it issued by the Punjab government? The question arises why this was happening and who was doing this?” he questioned.

He pointed out that without registration of an FIR and investigation, the federal government endorses the confession of the accused and subsequently concocts a narrative. “Is not leading the investigation in one direction tantamount to malafide intention?” he questioned.

To another question, Qureshi said the people were not satisfied with the performance of Punjab police chief; “it was the responsibility of the provincial government to investigate the matter and determine if it really was helpless.”

Regarding the health of PTI chairman, Qureshi said Khan’s condition was improving; “the doctors were satisfied with his recovery.”

Meanwhile, in a separate media talk outside the Shaukat Khanum Hospital, PTI Senator Shibli Faraz said the former prime minister had already spoken of the possibility that any attack on him would be given a religious colour, and that there was a whole conspiracy involved around it.

He warned that if the FIR was not registered, the party would stage a protest in front of the concerned police station, adding that there was a need for a full-fledged investigation into the attack, as it seems that more than one individual were involved in it. “Our party would soon unfurl the conspiracy behind the attack and the strategy in regard would also be announced soon,” he added.

“Khan would be shifted home from the hospital to his residence in a couple of days,” he said, adding that the PTI had been endeavouring for real freedom. “We are running a campaign against the thugs and for the rule of law, and the PTI Chairman’s morale was higher than before and he was standing with more strength,” he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022