Imran insists 3 shooters involved in Wazirabad assassination bid

Former prime minister Imran Khan on Thursday termed the Nov 3 attack on him in Wazirabad to be a “planned assassination attempt”, insisting that three shooters were involved in the incident.

Addressing the nation, the ex-premier — who is still recovering from his bullet injuries — called for a “powerful” body backed by the chief justice of Pakistan to probe the incident as he talked about the findings of the joint investigation team (JIT).

Last year in Nov, a PTI worker died and 14 others, including the former prime minister and PTI leaders, were injured in the attack at Wazirabad’s Allah­wala Chowk, where the party’s “Haqeeqi Azadi”’ march against the federal government had stopped on its way to Islamabad.

An official privy to the findings of the JIT earlier told Dawn that shots were fired by “three unknown shooters, from unknown weapons” from a considerable height other than the gun attack carried out by the suspect, Naveed Meher, arrested from the spot.

In his televised address, the PTI chairman said that “two to three people” were behind the plot to assassinate him. “I know that the country’s armed forces are giving sacrifices for the country […] but there are black sheep in every institution.

“But the person who planned this, I want them to cooperate with the JIT. Action should be taken against those deliberately obstructing justice.”

He also appealed to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial for justice. “I had stated earlier that I only expect justice from the Supreme Court. Powerful people who I have named will not allow justice to be carried out. If the chief justice back a powerful inquiry, only then can I get justice.”

 

Rana dispels Imran’s claims

Imran’s address came hours after Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah dismissed the PTI’s claim of the involvement of three shooters and termed the video statement by the suspect Naveed to be “100 per cent correct”.

Responding to a question from a reporter during a press conference in Islamabad, he said the suspect was “religiously motivated and self-motivated”.

“There was no second or third suspect involved in the incident other than the arrested suspect.”

Rana asserted that the PTI could conduct as many investigations as it desired but would not be able to “insert a second or third suspect”.

The interior minister further said that multiple videos of the attack showed the presence of a single shooter.

He alleged Imran was pretending to be injured, adding that it was impossible not to suffer a fracture after getting shot by a bullet.