Daily Times

The federal government on Friday asked PTI leadership including Imran Khan to review their security issues and make them more effective to avoid any mishap.

Addressing a press conference here, the interior minister again condemned attack on Imran Khan and other PTI leaders and said that we do not want to scare or stop this long march but it is necessary to bring these matters to notice.

The minister cited the statement PTI leader Asad Omer who told Imran Khan about security threats, but he (Imran Khan) said Allah Almighty would take care. “Ignorance towards security threats by Imran Khan can create unfortunate incidents in future too and we appeal to them to change their attitude and arrange their matters accordingly,” the minister said.

“We have no objection to their protest, and long march, we are not afraid, but these are the issues which we want to bring to their notice as these are very important,” the minister added.

The minister declared it as sad that PTI chairman Imran Khan blamed people for his attempted assassination without any investigation or proof. “Not only the government condemned this incident but prayed for health of all wounded persons including Imran Khan because we consider him as our political opponent not enemy,” he added.

This status of enemy is given by Imran Khan to his opponents not by us and his stubbornness and insistence towards such attitude is really condemnable.

He said that police arrested accused red-handed from the spot and a PTI worker namely Ibtisam assisted in this arrest. In a police station of Gujrat, the statement of accused was recorded but First Information Report (FIR) had not been deliberately registered into this incident as it would be lodged after managing it.

The minister said that first part of the statement of accused was released last day in which the accused told about the reasons behind this attack. The Punjab government and its Chief Minister suspended the entire staff of the police station but second part of the statement was also issued after their suspension. The second part of this statement was aired on media and Imran Khan and PTI leaders would have also watched this video.

The accusation of the assailant are very much condemnable and we tried to stop further dissemination of this video because it describes about certain statement of Imran Khan and a claim of a woman, he added.

The accused termed that he committed this act due to his belief on `Prophethood and Nabuwat’. It could be more damaging if this video got more viral and religious fanatics could get opportunity through it, he said. “Therefore, we appeal PTI leadership including Imran Khan to review their security affairs after considering the importance and seriousness of this issue and amend their behavior”.

He cited the statement of AsadUmer who advised Imran Khan to take threats serious as situation is not good but the latter did not care about it. Such attitude could be more damaging if not amended, the minister said.

The minister said that meeting of senior leadership of party presided over by the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was held on Friday which expressed sorrow over the tragic incident of last day and strongly condemned it.

The meeting reviewed different measures in the wake of this incident and considered as how hatred, revenge and polarization could be eliminated and reduced which has unfortunately deepened. It was also considered as how such thoughts could be converted into tolerance and patience. He said that meeting reviewed as those forces, promoting intolerance and converting political differences into enmity, could be brought on right path.

He said that those following this path of destruction should understand that they could not remain safe as they are also on same track.

The last day incident, he said, is very much condemnable and sorrowful. There is no compensation to life, however, Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has announced compensation amount for family members of four persons who lost their lives during this long march. He said that compensation amount was earlier announced for female journalist while Prime Minister has announced compensation for family members of remaining three persons as a sympathy and relief for them to live an independent life.