Aitzaz, Khosa misguiding people on military courts: Chohan

LAHORE: The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) leader Fayyazul Hassan Chohan said on Wednesday that the May 9 rioters will be tried in the military courts. Talking to the media in Rawalpindi on Wednesday, Chohan said the PTI leadership was involved in the violent incidents of May 9 and there was proof against the party. “Aitzaz Ahsan and Latif Khosa are misguiding people about the military courts. The DG ISPR gave a detailed briefing on military courts but a negative campaign against it was launched on social media by PTI and its chairman.”

Chohan said PTI members were involved in negative activities on social media. He said Aitzaz Ahsan and Latif Khosa were portraying themselves as champions of the Constitution and law. They were teaching law and loyalty but had in fact fooled the lawyers.

The IPP leader said both Aitzaz and Khosa owed their stature to the Peoples Party and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Benazir Bhutto honoured Aitzaz and Khosa. But both the PPP leaders ran a comprehensive campaign against the policies of PPP. “How can a person who is not loyal to PPP be loyal to PTI?” he asked.

He said what the Pakistan Tehreek–e-Insaf did to the state of Pakistan, even its enemies Israel and India could not have done. He said PTI and its chairman are running a propaganda campaign against the military courts. Chohan said military courts were not being set up in Pakistan for the first time. At least, 27 civilians had been tried in military courts under the PTI government. He said the PTI social media team sitting in America has launched an anti-Pakistan propaganda campaign. “The public and ISPR DG have given a shut-up call to the false propaganda of the PTI.”

Meanwhile, the Lahore police claimed apprehending the suspect who attacked the residence of former Punjab governor and senior lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa with firearms, adding that he also intended to target Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan.

DIG Investigation, Punjab Police, Kamran Adil, stated that the suspect was wanted in 14 other cases of firing. He added that the suspect Mohsin, alias Lamba, is a resident of Samanabad, Millat Park. The suspect told the police that he was given money by Zubair Khan Niazi to carry out the attack on Khosa’s house. “The suspect was tasked to stir tensions between the lawyers and the government,” the DIG investigation said.

Meanwhile, former Punjab governor and eminent lawyer Sardar Latif Khan Khosa questioned the role of the Punjab Police in the attack on his house, asking how an Assistant Sub-Inspector could lodge an FIR when he, being the victim, was present there. He urged the relevant authorities to arrest the right culprits behind the attack.

Sardar Latif Khan Khosa said that they had proper information and evidence about the suspects behind the attack. “The attackers were pillion riders and they did proper recce before the attack. We have the footage of the attackers,” said the lawyer while addressing a press conference, flanked by senior lawyer Barrister Chaudhary Aitzaz Ahsan, in Lahore on Wednesday.

Khosa also expressed surprise over the nomination of PTI leader Zubair Niazi in his case. “For God’s sake, you should arrest the real culprits and those behind it. This is very strange that you have produced this Lamba before the press after his so-called confession”.

He said: “How could Zubair Niazi be involved, how is it even possible?

“I have no dispute or enmity with Zubair Niazi,” Khosa said and added it was difficult to understand as to why Niazi was booked in this case.

In a related development, the PPP abruptly suspended the basic membership of both Khosa and Aitzaz Ahsan, reportedly for violating the party’s discipline. Talking exclusively to Geo News, PPP Central Punjab chapter President Rana Farooq Saeed confirmed that the basic membership of the duo had been suspended — apparently after they showed support for PTI Chairman Imran Khan.