Mian Iftikhar asks PTI to investigate his nomination in FIR

NOWSHERA: Awami National Party (ANP) central General Secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain has asked the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership to investigate inclusion of his name in the first information report (FIR) after the victim’s father statement that he had not named him.
“The victim’s father said in his statement that he had not accused me of killing his son,” Mian Iftikhar said.He added that it was the responsibility of the PTI leadership to stop political interference in the case. He said PTI chairman Imran Khan should order investigation into the matter and find out who had put pressure on the police for nominating him in the FIR.
“It’s a blatant lie that the unfortunate incident happened on my directives. I am the father of a martyred son and cannot think of killing anyone,” he asserted.
Mian Iftikhar said that registration of FIR was the right of the victim and the police must register it if the victim’s family wanted it. “But the issue should not be politicized. Let the court decide,” he said.
Mian Iftikhar Hussain thanked the political leaders, including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, JUI-F head Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PTI chief Imran Khan and people across the country for extending support to him.
Earlier, he was produced in the court of Civil Judge-cum-Judicial Magistrate Sheraz Tariq after completion of his one day physical remand. Sher Alam, father of the deceased youth Habibullah, also recorded his statement before the judicial magistrate. He said that “neither Mian Iftikhar killed his son nor he had mentioned his name in the FIR.” He pleaded the court to order quashing of the FIR against Mian Iftikhar.
Senior lawyer Abdul Latif Afridi appeared for Mian Iftikhar before the Judicial Magistrate and submitted bail application for his client.Later, talking to media, Latif Afridi said the nature of the case had changed after the statement of the father of the deceased.
He said the court denied any further remand of Mian Iftikhar Hussain. He said that Mian Iftikhar was a noble politician and termed the case against him as an act of political victimisation.
Strict security arrangements had been made around the court on the occasion. A large number of ANP workers were present.The angry and sentimental ANP activists were chanting slogans in favour of Mian Iftikhar and against Chief Minister Pervez Khattak.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Mardan Range, Saeed Wazir Khan said the murder case against Mian Iftikhar Hussain would be dealt according to the law. Speaking at press conference here on Monday, he said that first information report against Mian Iftikhar was lodged on the complaint of the father of the deceased youth. He said the FIR would be quashed after completion of investigation into the case.
The DIG ruled out the filing of the murder case or arresting Mian Iftikhar under political pressure. He said all the legal formalities would be completed and an impartial investigation into the case carried out. He said many people would have been killed had the police not intervened in time.