Daily Times

The Punjab government’s cabinet committee has decided to establish a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the assassination attempt on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the Punjab cabinet committee on law and order under the chairmanship of Minister of Law Muhammad Basharat Raja at the Civil Secretariat. The meeting decided that the investigation team will be headed by Additional Inspector-General of Highways Riaz Nazir Gara. Other members will include the representatives of the relevant agencies.

The committee has also decided to provide the former prime minister special security during the PTI’s long march which will resume today (Thursday).

Basharat said that a bulletproof rostrum and glass will be installed on Imran Khan’s container, adding that the deployment of snipers and other security arrangements should not be neglected. A day earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote another letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial requesting the formation of a judicial commission to probe the incident. The prime minister asked the CJP to form a judicial commission comprised of the Supreme Court’s all available judges. The commission, as stated in the letter, can specifically examine five questions to understand which law enforcement agencies were responsible to provide security to the convoy; whether security protocols and other standard operating procedures were put in place to secure the convoy, and whether these protocols were adhered to examine the facts of the incident. The letter also suggests the commission inquire about the compliance of law enforcement agencies and administrative authorities with the prescribed investigation, evidence collection, and handling procedures following the incident; ask about lapses and who should be responsible for them.