Daily Times

The suspect who was arrested for the assassination attempt on Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Sunday evening is affiliated with Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, according to a government official from Narowal.

A preliminary report sent to the chief secretary of the provincial government by Narowal deputy commissioner says Abid Hussain has showed his affiliation with Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan. “He showed his affiliation with Tahreek-e-Labbaik,” the letter by DC read.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Arif Nawaz had earlier said that the 22-year-old suspect had confessed to attempting to assassinate the minister over the issue of Khatm-i-Nabuwwat (finality of prophethood).

The Punjab government on Monday also constituted a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the attack on Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal. According to a notification issued by the provincial police department, DIG Investigation Waqas Nazeer will head the five-member JIT, which will include SSP Gujranwala Khalid Bashir Cheema, Counter-Terrorism Team Gujranwala SP Faisal Gulzar Awan and one official each of the Intelligence Bureau and Inter-Services Intelligence. The Narowal district police officer had requested for the formation of JIT in the case.

An FIR, including terrorism charges, was registered at the Shah Gharib Police Station against the suspect. Abid was produced before the Gujranwala anti-terrorism court where his 10-day physical remand was approved.

The Punjab Police has appointed SHO of the Saddar Police Station in Narowal, Mohammad Tariq, investigating officer in the case. Police also claimed to have arrested another suspect involved in the incident. Sources said Azeem and Abid had reached the site of the incident on a motorcycle much earlier after which Abid waited for the minister to arrive. A 30-bore pistol with nine bullets in it was seized from the arrested suspect.

SHO Shah Gharib Police Station has been suspended for failing to provide adequate security cover to the interior minister.

Iqbal was moved to the intensive care unit (ICU) at Lahore’s Services Hospital following a surgery early Monday morning. The interior minister underwent two surgeries during which the doctors removed the bullet from his abdomen and emplaced plates in his fractured arm, said Dr Mehmood Ayaz.

Shafqat Waseem Chaudhry, one of the five-member medical team responsible for him, said that Iqbal was stable for now. “But he will remain in the ICU for two days.”

Meanwhile, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in a statement condemned attack on the minister and attempted to paint it as some sort of pre-election conspiracy. TLP leaders Khadim Hussain Rizvi and Pir Afzal Qadri in a joint statement demanded that the government initiate a judicial inquiry into the attack. The attack on the minister only months ahead of the 2018 general elections needs to be probed, they said, adding that TLP is a peaceful religio-political party that believes in change through political struggle and democratic processes.

Published in Daily Times, May 8^th 2018.