By Naveed Naqvi
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday demanded the setting up of a ‘full court commission’ by the Supreme Court of Pakistan to probe Imran Khan’s allegations that the premier, the interior minister, and a senior military official had plotted the failed assassination bid on him.
“I request the honorable Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to form a full-court commission as there should be an immediate decision on this issue after a thorough investigation. Let the people see through his game plan to undermine national institutions,” PM Sharif told a news conference in the eastern city of Lahore.
“I will soon write to the CJP in this regard, and if my request is not entertained, questions related to the credibility of inquiries into this incident will keep rising.”
Former prime minister Khan suffered multiple bullet injuries in both his legs when a gun-wielding man opened fire on the protest convoy on Thursday near Gujranwala, wounding at least seven people and killing a party supporter.
The protest march had been called to demand early elections. Khan was leading the march, which was meant to end in the capital Islamabad a week later.
He accused PM Sharif, Interior minister Rana Sanaullah and an army official Major-General Faisal Nasser of the assassination plot — and demanded their resignations.
The ousted prime minister, however, did not provide evidence for his claim.
Sharif said he will step down if his involvement is found in any conspiracy related to the attack.
“I don’t have the right to remain in office if there is any shred of evidence found regarding my involvement in this case,” the PM said. “I will quit politics forever if it comes to that.”
Sharif said Khan is a “liar from head to toe” and is trying his best to destroy Pakistan.
“Imran Khan’s tales are full of contradictions. I cannot, for even a moment, waste my time thinking that this man — who was granted a new life by Allah — is lying day and night. Today, he is attacking the Pakistan army in a way an enemy would do.”
A day earlier, the military also condemned Khan’s remarks, describing them as “baseless allegations”.
“The baseless and irresponsible allegations by chairman PTI against the institution and particularly a senior army officer are absolutely unacceptable and uncalled for,” the military said in a written statement. “No one will be allowed to defame the institution or its soldiers with impunity.”
PM Sharif said the allegations made by Khan have hit the foundation of Pakistan and he will make all efforts to bring the country out of instability.
“You [Imran Khan] are pushing the nation towards destruction through lies…it’s my responsibility to save the nation from this destruction.”
Legal action against Khan
Later in a high-level meeting on Saturday evening, PM Sharif approved legal actions against all those involved in violence, damaging state-owned buildings, and properties, and leveling false and baseless allegations against state institutions during the protests on Khan’s assassination bid.
The government would initiate legal action against Khan and his party Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf’s other leaders for making false statements against the state and its institutions.
Sources claimed that “Khan and some of his colleagues can be arrested in the light of the evidence and legal opinion” and the Federal Investigation Agency “has already been instructed to take action against top PTI leadership on baseless allegations”.
Deadlock on FIR
Meanwhile, a deadlock persists over filing an FIR in connection with an assassination attempt on Khan after the former prime minister refused to withdraw the name of a senior army officer from the complaint.
Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi is caught between ‘the devil and the deep blue sea’ as Khan, who essentially calls the shots for the ruling coalition in Punjab, continues to insist on naming the army officer in the FIR, the Dawn newspaper reported.
Elahi is against the ‘logic’ of naming the senior army officer in the case. The chief minister and PTI leaders held several meetings on the issue where the former attempted to convince them to drop the name of the army officer.
The provincial police chief said they have not received any application to register the FIR of an assassination attempt on former prime minister Khan.
Senior PTI leaders and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi alleged it “seemed the hands of some officials were tied and there was some kind of pressure on them to not entertain their application for the Wazirabad attack complaint,” Dawn newspaper reported.
“Since an FIR was not being registered in such a serious case, it has raised a serious question mark,” Qureshi said.
He added that his party is not satisfied with the Punjab police chief’s performance.
“It was also the responsibility of the provincial government to investigate the matter and determine if the top police officer was really helpless.”
Ban removed
The government issued an order asking the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to reverse its decision to ban the live speeches of Khan on TV channels.
Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said the government believed in free speech and democratic norms, and would not stand in the way of Khan’s speeches reaching the public.
Citing a threat to national security, Pakistan’s electronic media watchdog earlier on Saturday ordered TV channels to refrain from broadcasting or rebroadcasting press conferences of ousted PM Khan.
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