A joint investigation team asked to probe the attempted assassination attack on former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been was reconstituted once again, The News International reported.
The joint team was reconstituted again on Sunday after four members of the team levelled allegations against the team’s head Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mahmood Dogar. Differences between Dogar and members started after objections were raised on the former’s “politically-inclined” conduct. The newly constituted JIT team includes Dera Ghazi Khan’s District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Akmal, Superintendent of Police (SP) Anjum Kamal, and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) CIA Jhang Nasir Nawaz. The notification said that the decision to appoint the fourth member of any department rests with the JIT, according to The News International.
The former members of JIT accused Ghulam Mahmood Dogar of conducting the investigation on political grounds, The News International reported citing sources. Advocate Mian Dawood, the counsel of the suspect involved in the gun attack on Imran Khan, claimed that Ghulam Mahmood Dogar was investigating the case according to the will of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader.
In a statement, Naveed Meher’s counsel said that retaining Ghulam Mahmood Dogar as head of the JIT was based on “malice.” He termed it necessary to remove Dogar as well from the JIT. The lawyer raised question on why the previous members of the body were presenting the suspects in the court when a new joint investigation team has been made, as per the news report.
“The nation already considers Ghulam Mehmood Dogar responsible for botching the investigation of the case,” The News International quoted Naveed Meher’s counsel as saying.
The PTI chairman Imran Khan was attacked in Wazirabad on November 23 while he was leading the “Azadi March” against the PML-N demanding snap polls. The law enforcement agencies arrested suspect Naveed Meher from the site of the attack. The suspect also admitted to opening fire on the PTI leadership.
The first information report of the incident was lodged on November 7 under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. The probe into the assassination attempt on Imran Khan had been handed over to an anti-corruption officer by Dogar, as per the sources within the JIT.
According to The News International report, Ghulam Mahmood Dogar had given the responsibility of interrogating the suspect to anti-corruption officer Anwar Shah and no other member was given access to the attacker.