Islamabad urges Lahore to cordon off attack site, form JIT

ISLAMABAD, Nov 03 (NNI): The federal government on Thursday called on the Punjab government to thoroughly investigate the attack on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.
They also demanded that the container must be confiscated for further investigations.
In separate messages, Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Thursday’s unfortunate incident requires a high-level investigation as it is a matter of grave concern.
“The Punjab government should constitute a JIT at the earliest to investigate the matter thoroughly,” Sanaullah said in a tweet.
Meanwhile, in a hurriedly called press conference, Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the country cannot bear such incidents anymore.
She said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, the provincial chief secretary and inspector general of police to constitute a joint investigation team and submit a report to the federal government.
The federal government is ready to assist the Punjab government on this sensitive matter, she offered.
She said a suspect has been arrested and he has already confessed his crime, while the Punjab police is investigating the matter.
“Hence, I request the PTI leadership to stop giving irresponsible statement at least for today,” she urged.
She continued that some PTI leaders were blaming federal interior minister Rana Sanaullah for the attack on Imran Khan.
“Please do not spread false news,” she said, reminding that the incident took place in Punjab, not in in Islamabad.
“It falls within the jurisdiction of the Punjab government to investigate the matter,” the information minister said, adding, “Until the Punjab government issues a detailed inquiry report, we have to be responsible.”
Given the current Pakistani political landscape, she said that the country cannot bear such incidents.
Expressing her dismay at the performance of the Punjab police and administration before, during and after the incident, she said that the crime scene has yet to be fully cordoned off. NNI