ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Following the firing incident, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shahbaz Gill said on Thursday that some people took the statement of suspected attacker of Imran Khan and sent it to news channels but the alleged killer’s identity was doubtful.
He said that in the footage, the alleged attacker was wearing waistcoat but in the later picture taken while he was giving the statement, the waistcoat had disappeared. He said the facts were being distorted by giving them a different colour but it was an assassination attempt on Imran Khan. PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi urged the nation and party workers to remain calm and peaceful. PTI leader Imran Ismail, in statement,said the confession of the shooter appears to be an eyewash aimed at confusing the nation. “I heard a burst from an automatic weapon distinctly separate from the gunshots fired by this guy.”
He said, “The Supreme Court must step in to form a judicial commission headed by their senior-most judges to investigate the murder of Arshad Sharif, which will unearth today’s conspiracy.”
In a statement, Qureshi made an appeal and said that the entire nation and PTI workers are requested to show restraint and prudence and remain within the ambit of law. “For the past six days, our long march was moving peacefully. After consultation with Imran Khan, the decision on the long march and future line of action will be made,” he said.
Separately, PTI Senior Vice-President Dr Shireen Mazari demanded arrest of Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on the alleged attempted murder of Imran Khan. Reacting to the incident, she took to her Twitter account to write, “Rana Sana threatened to murder IK & today we saw him attempt that. He should be arrested on attempted murder as his public statement bear witness to same.” In another tweet, she said, “Raises the question of whether the real killer has gotten away and the man caught was a decoy? But one fact is clear — this was an assassination attempt planned by those who kept issuing threats”.
PTI SVP Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said that it was a well-planned assassination attempt on Imran Khan, the assassin planned to kill Imran Khan and leadership of PTI, it was not 9mm it was a burst from automatic weapon. No two opinions about that it was narrow escape. He also claimed that certain TV channels and journalists were giving a colour to the murderous attack, which would not work. “Our hands will reach your necks. There will be a revenge for this, the issue will not be settled by sending WhatsApp to certain journalists and getting splashed reports,” he added.
In his reaction, PTI Secretary General Asad Umar wrote, “If you can’t stop him, cowards tried to martyr him. Allah’s blessings are on Khan and Insha Allah, Allah Almighty has to take a lot of work from the captain of the nation”. “Imran Khan Sahib being operated upon in Shaukat Khanum Emergency. Doctors will brief after the operation Insha Allah. Prayers needed for the complete and speedy recovery of Khan sb and all our injured colleagues,” tweeted PTI leader Omar Ayub. PTI Senator Shaukat Tarin said, “Our red line has been crossed and Imran Khan and others have been attacked. PTI worker’s courageous action saved a huge loss. May Allah grant long life to Imran Khan and other injured.”
PTI leader Alamgir Khan from Karachi issued a video statement about a person detained and said that the tragic incident of firing on Imran Khan’s container took place just when they reached with the convoy from Sindh. “A guard from Karachi came with me and after the incident, he was left behind. People accidentally caught my guard named Mohammad Onal Khan on the basis of suspicion in the stampede and the police took him away. My guard is an employee of private company, it is baseless to think that he is involved in this attack. Whoever is blaming innocent people for this incident is absolutely wrong,” Alamgir said.
Meanwhile, the people went into a frenzy after they heard the news about an attack on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief and former premier Imran Khan. Attack on Imran was an attack on democracy said Ali Akbar from Lahore. According to him, Imran is the ray of hope. Ali questioned the chief minister of Punjab and said why he did not address the security lapse. Khan’s security was his responsibility.
According to him, Imran Khan is an important politician and ex-PM of Pakistan. The firing incident happened in the Punjab, where Pervaiz Elahi is ruling. Question must be asked from the CM and home minister of Punjab province. Shaukat Hussain from Karachi said that Imran Khan had given challenges to two parties in the country. They cannot see him as a popular leader. He said that the incident was terrible and tragic. He termed it a highly condemnable and cowardly attempt on the life of PTI chairman. Dastgeer Khan from Peshawar said that we condemn “murderous and cowardly” attack on Imran Khan. He said Imran had a vision and he had already shared that his life was in danger, so the government of Punjab should have enhanced the security.
Muhammad Tufail from Multan said that the attack on Imran, actually, was an attempt to derail democracy in the country. According to him, Imran is a visionary politician, his opponents tried to kill him. The perpetrators must be dealt with iron hands, he demanded from the government of Punjab. He further shared that politicians should promote culture of harmony and defeat culture of violence.
