Tag: firing

  • Khawaja Asif shifts blame of assassination attempt onto Khan

    Khawaja Asif shifts blame of assassination attempt onto Khan

    Federal Minister for Defence, Khawaja Asif, has shifted the blame for Thursday’s assassination attempt on former Prime Minister Imran Khan onto the man himself, citing what he described as “crossing the red lines of religion”.

    “The suspect’s videos that have surfaced … they show that religious fanaticism motivated the attack. Time and time again, the former prime minister came close to crossing boundaries — or he crossed the boundaries — he crossed the red lines of religion because of which a man attacked him,” Khawaja Asif said on Friday. The minister quoted the suspect as proof that Khan had brought the attack upon himself.

    He began his speech by saying that the incident was a “Cause of embarrassment for the nation”.

    “And we, the federal government, want that if there is a conspiracy behind it, then it should be brought to light,” he stated.

    The defence minister stressed that “We should not refrain from taking any step that will prove to be helpful for us in this matter” and that the investigation into the incident and efforts to get to the bottom of the matter should not be politicised.

    “Don’t let this incident fall victim to politics,” he reiterated, while adding, “They should go after the suspects, but all that they have been doing [demonstrates] that they are not interested in the investigation. They have made Rana Sanaullah, the prime minister and DGC the culprits.”

    He recalled that Imran previously said he had contacts in the establishment. “And now those contacts are being named in the murder attempt [case],” the minister said. “By naming politicians and a senior army officer, they are taking the matter in a direction where they will not find any clue or suspect.”

    Imran Khan was shot at thrice in Punjab’s Wazirabad on Thursday, November 3. The suspect, Naveed ,is in police custody and has confessed to the crime on a video where he says that he had planned to kill the former Prime Minister ever since his long march left Lahore.

  • ‘PM Shehbaz visiting Khan is under discussion’: Rana Sanaullah

    ‘PM Shehbaz visiting Khan is under discussion’: Rana Sanaullah

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has once again strongly condemned the assassination attempt on former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan which took place on November 3 in Wazirabad during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march.

    In a press conference, the minister called the incident an act of “religious extremism”. However, he was of the view that “PTI’s attitude towards the incident is also regrettable and condemnable.”

    He revealed that so far four deaths have been reported due to the unfortunate incident, adding that PM Shehbaz Sharif has announced compensation for the people who have lost their lives.

    He said that the federal government has asked the Punjab government to form a Joint Investigation Team (JIT).

    He, further said that “we consider Khan a political opponent and not an enemy, but he [Khan] considers us his enemies.”

    About the accusations made by the PTI chief, implicating Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Rana Sanaullah himself and Major General Faisal Naseer of plotting the assassination attempt, the Interior Minister said that it is “very saddening” that Khan has named people without any investigation or proof.

    Talking about the alleged confession video of the shooter, the minister said that the allegations levelled by him are extremely alarming.

    The minister also hinted at the possibility of PM Shehbaz visiting Imran Khan to inquire about his health.

    “If the environment gets better, PM Shehbaz might visit Khan but right now we have been blamed. So the discussion is under consideration, PM Shehbaz will decide this matter,” he stated.

  • Imran Khan par qatilana hamla: what we know so far about the assassination attempt on Khan

    Imran Khan par qatilana hamla: what we know so far about the assassination attempt on Khan

    Former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan survived an assassination attempt on Day seven of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) ‘Haqeeqi Long March’ as his container moved through Punjab’s Wazirabad.

    Here is a timeline of what happened.

    4:21PM – Firing near Imran’s container during the long march
    An unidentified assailant opens fire on PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s container near the Allah Ho Chowk

    4:37PM – Reports of Khan shot at and injured
    PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry confirms that Khan was shot in the leg in a targeted attack during the long march in Wazirabad today. Footage of Imran, with a bandaged leg, being moved from the container to a vehicle with the help of his security team surface.

    4:43PM – Imran injured, waves at supporters after injury, moved to a car
    Khan is rushed to a safe place as per initial reports. He is shot in the leg but is stable while being taken to hospital. He waves at supporters too.

    5:25PM – Prime Minister Shehbaz seeks immediate report on issue
    Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of and “severely condemns” the firing incident at Imran Khan’s long march.

    He instructs Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to seek an immediate report on the incident from the IGP and chief secretary Punjab.

    6:00PM – Shooter confesses to crime
    The suspect/shooter, caught by police on the scene, says that he wants to kill PTI Chairman Imran Khan because “Khan was misleading the public.”

    “He (Imran) was misleading the people and I could not bear watching it so I killed him… attempted to kill him,” the shooter says in a video statement.

    “I tried my best to kill him. I wanted to kill just Imran Khan and no one else.”

    6:20PM – Reports of Khan being treated at Shaukat Khanum Hospital surface
    Khan is taken to Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital in Lahore for immediate treatment.

    6:50PM – Punjab IG wants report on attack
    According to Dawn News, Inspector-General of Punjab Police, Faisal Shahkar, took notice of the attack on PTI chairman Imran Khan and summons a report from Gujrat regional police officers.

    Meanwhile, the deputy police officer of Gujrat is instructed to reach the attack site.

    According to a statement from a police spokesperson, the attack will be investigated from all angles and the perpetrators will be arrested immediately.

    7:00PM – Khan out of danger, being treated at Hospital
    Dr Faisal Sultan, while talking to the media, says that Khan is out of danger and is being treated at the hospital.

    8:15PM – Khan names three suspects behind today’s attack: Asad Umar

    PTI leader Asad Umar, in a video message today, reveals Khan named three suspects who could be behind today’s attack.

    “Shortly before this video, Imran Khan called us and told us to convey this message to the nation on his behalf. He said that he had received some information earlier as well.”

    “He said that he believes three people were involved in the attack […] and those three people are Shehbaz Sharif, Rana Sanaullah and Major General Faisal,” Umar said.

    He also said that the PTI chief has demanded that Shehbaz, Sanaullah and General Faisal be immediately removed from their posts. “Otherwise, a protest will be held across the country.”

    8:53PM – Punjab CM orders constitution of JIT to probe attack

    Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi instructs the police to form a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the attack on PTI’s convoy in Wazirabad today.

    Elahi says that the counter-terrorism department will be placed on the team to investigate the motives of the incident.

    “We want to know who is behind the incident, who trained the accused, how much money was he given and where did he get it from,” the chief minister said.

    9:10PM – Federal govt to ask Punjab govt to form JIT to probe attack on Imran

    The federal government decides to ask Punjab government to form a joint investigation team comprising senior officers to investigate the attack on Imran Khan, according to Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.

    Sanaullah, in a press conference alongside Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb in Islamabad, said the entire government condemned the firing incident.

    He said the federal government has assured the Punjab government of “assistance of any kind” during the investigation.

  • Justice Athar Minallah wants people to have fun on New Year’s Eve

    Justice Athar Minallah, while hearing a petition seeking a ban on fireworks in Islamabad on New Year’s Eve (December 31 and January 1), remarked, “What’s the problem? Let people have fun.” Justice Athar Minallah dismissed the petition and said fireworks on New Year’s Eve are held across the world, even in Saudi Arabia .

    “The mall is located near GT Road. People in huge numbers come out on the streets to watch it [the fireworks] and block roads,” the resident of Islamabad said in his petition to ban fireworks.

    However, in Punjab fireworks been banned due to the smog. Lahore Police Operations Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abid Khan said over 5,000 police personnel would be deployed across the city on New Year’s Eve.

  • Bride calls off wedding after uncle injured in celebratory firing

    A 22-year-old bride in Uttar Pradesh, India, cancelled her wedding after her uncle was allegedly hurt in a celebratory firing by the groom’s guests.

    As per details, Iram cancelled the wedding with Shahzad a few hours prior to the wedding, which was scheduled on Wednesday night after the accident took place.

    “How can I marry him? If his family is behaving this way in front of my whole family, how will they behave when I will be alone with them at their place?” questioned Iram.

    Soon after the girl announced her decision, her family members broke the groom’s car, beat his relatives and held them hostage for some time.

    The situation was brought under control after the police reached the spot.

    An FIR was registered and the woman’s uncle was taken to a hospital where his condition is said to be stable.

    Police officials told reporters that the video of the ceremony is being analysed to identify those who opened the fire.