Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has requested the formation of a ‘full court commission’ of the apex court to investigate Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s allegations that the prime minister, the interior minister, and a senior military officer are responsible for the assassination attempt against him in Wazirabad.
Later, in a high-level meeting presided over by the PM, it was decided that the federal government would initiate legal action against Imran Khan and other PTI leaders for making false statements against the state and its institutions in light of the Friday night statement by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The Prime Minister had earlier in the day alluded to taking such action.
Hours after Mr. Khan addressed the nation from the hospital on Friday and again accused the PM, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, and a senior intelligence agency officer of hatching a plot to eliminate him, the ISPR issued a strongly worded statement rejecting the “baseless and irresponsible” allegations leveled against the military by the PTI chairman.
It further demanded that the government investigate the incident and take legal action against individuals “responsible for defamation and spreading false claims without any evidence against the institution and its personnel.”
“You are a liar, a narcissist, a cruel person, and a certified thief. Bring forward the evidence of our involvement in any plot to kill you. If you can establish even a remote connection with me, I will leave politics. In light of such false and unfounded charges, I propose that the chief justice of the Supreme Court form a complete court panel to investigate the PTI chairman’s allegations,” the prime minister said during a press conference on Saturday evening.
Mr. Sharif, accompanied by Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and his special assistant Malik Ahmad Khan, feared: “I will shortly write to you (the CJP) in this regard, and if my request is not granted, questions regarding the authenticity of inquiries into this incident would continue to rise.”
Mr. Sharif petitioned the CJP to have the same full-court commission investigate the assassination of journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya, claiming that all supreme court judges are equally qualified to investigate such crimes.
In response to a query regarding the ISPR statement, the prime minister stated that the government would shortly take action. “We are taking action in response to such unfounded and fraudulent accusations. We will fulfill our responsibilities; a meeting has been scheduled to discuss this matter, he declared.
In an attack on previous Prime Minister Khan, he stated that the current coalition government was formed through a constitutional process, while Imran Khan received unprecedented assistance from the establishment. However, the PTI leader showed excessive egotism by defaming the same organization following the successful vote of no confidence in parliament.
“Imran Niazi, your social media brigade did not spare an honest, diligent, and trustworthy Quetta corps commander who died alongside other officers for this country,” he lamented.
Refuting the PTI chief’s numerous charges against the Sharif family, the military, and others, PM Sharif aired many video clips of Mr. Khan to ‘prove’ that he was a liar and a selfish individual who didn’t spare even his closest friends, including Aleem Khan.
In addition, he asserted that the PTI’s leader intended to incite a civil war in the country through sit-ins, violent protests, lies, and slander. He added that Mr. Khan wanted an FIR of his choosing made against him (the PM), the interior minister, and a senior army officer in the Wazirabad incident and that if he did not give evidence, the judiciary should act.
“If the judiciary remains silent, it would be unfair to the country,” he argued.
When the PTI leader was in charge, according to the prime minister, he imprisoned everyone in the opposition. “You were responsible for Rana Sanaullah’s arrest in a bogus drug case. He replied, “You detained Tayyaba Gull.”
He also put doubt on Mr. Khan’s medical examination, querying why the PTI leader chose Shaukat Khanum Hospital for his medico-legal examination rather than a government-run hospital.
retaliation against Imran
Later, during a high-level meeting presided over by PM Sharif on Saturday evening, the federal government agreed to take measures against all individuals responsible for violence, vandalizing state-owned buildings and property, and making false and unfounded accusations against state institutions.
Given Friday’s ISPR announcement, it was determined that the federal government will pursue legal action against PTI Chairman Imran Khan and other party officials for making false allegations about the state and its institutions. During the conference, a committee comprised of constitutional and legal experts was also formed to make suggestions to the government for legal action.
In addition, action would be taken separately against PTI leaders and workers who set fire to the Governor House entrance in Lahore and resorted to violence during protests in many locations.
