LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday announced that he would lead a public rally on Sunday (today) in the Punjab capital and castigated the “authorities” for killing his party worker.

While addressing the PTI supporters gathered outside his residence through a video link, the former Prime Minister said that he would lead the election rally to show them that they were not domesticated animals.

He came hard on interim Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi and IG Punjab Usman Anwar for declaring the death of PTI worker Ali Bilal aka Zille Shah accidental. He reiterated that Shah was murdered in police custody and demanded a judicial probe into it.

Punjab IG says PTI worker Ali Bilal’s death result of road ‘accident’

While reacting to their joint press conference on the death of Zille Shah, he accused them of lying and appealed to the Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice to form a judicial commission for investigating the murder of his party worker. He also demanded the resignation of Punjab Interim Chief Minister, IG Punjab and others after holding them responsible for the violence against his party workers on the rally day and the murder of Zille Shah.

“I ask the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to remove them as they were appointed by them; unfortunately they are not neutral,” he added.

Holding the ECP responsible for the brutal murder, Khan said how an interim government could bring back those officers who were involved in a police crackdown against the PTI on May 25 and subsequently, they were transferred from Punjab. He asked the ECP to take action otherwise it would be held responsible for what he said “these beasts sitting in the power” would do in future.

He also asked the judiciary for dispensation of justice, saying that the judiciary was entrusted with the responsibility of giving justice. “Hence, the judiciary should play its role, as it was the only hurdle for the incumbent government in transforming Pakistan into a banana republic,” he said, adding that the lawyers should also stand up for the rule of law.

Regretting the murder of his party worker, he said that 60 torture marks were found on his (Zille Shah) body; he was a special child and he was tortured to death due to his affiliation with the PTI.

“The prime responsibility of the police was to protect the lives and property of the citizens, but it was being used against the PTI by the caretaker Punjab government,” he added.

He was astounded by the CM’s press conference; they say that Zille Shah was killed in a road accident. He claimed that it was a cover-up and it was not the first time. He recalled the arrest and torture of PTI leader Shahbaz Gill, saying he was tortured in a naked condition over a statement.

“I, as former prime minister, was unable to register an FIR against attackers of Wazirabad and later the caretaker Chief Minister changed Joint Investigation Team (JIT),” he added.

He pointed out, “Zille Shah was brutally tortured to death by the police while an FIR was registered against me. Initially, they said he was murdered and now they were saying he was killed in a road accident. Efforts were being made to change the evidence in the Zille Shah case; action should be taken against the police officers who were involved in violence against the PTI workers.”

He regretted over prevailing injustice with the poor masses, saying that the victims were booked and harassed; the law of jungle prevailed across the country where powerful individuals were above the law and the poor were unable to get justice. “I have decided to fight for real freedom and rule of law in the country till the last drop of blood,” he added.

The PTI chief said that the “powerful” segments want to get the upcoming general elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cancelled at all costs.

“They would try to get the polls cancelled by assassinating a prominent personality or creating serious law and order situation in the country; I know that they would do something to stop the election,” he added.

The former premier accused the PML-N of launching an anti-judiciary campaign and said that Maryam Nawaz was targeting senior judges in public gatherings on daily basis. He claimed that they (the coalition partners) fear of him because they knew that the public would come out.

“Absconder Nawaz Sharif was sitting in London and he has no interest in Pakistan and makes decisions from there,” he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023