Daily Times

The joint investigation team formed to probe the assassination attempt on Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal Tuesday acquired the mobile phone data of primary suspect Abid Hussain.

According to sources, police have handed over the record of the initial probe to the JIT.

Iqbal was shot in the arm Sunday evening during a rally in his constituency Narowal. Abid was caught by police immediately after he shot at the interior minister.

Abid had reportedly confessed to the crime.

Moreover, the record of a telephonic conversation between Abid and rally organiser, Gulfam, had been acquired by police. Both of them are in police custody, sources said.

Police sources further claimed the JIT had decided to expand the scope of investigation into the case.

Meanwhile, 17 more suspects have been detained during raids across Narowal in connection with the assassination attempt. The detained suspects have been taken to an undisclosed location and are under investigation, sources said.

The JIT after concluding its investigations will submit a report to Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Also former prime minister Nawaz Sharif visited ailing Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal at Services Hospital, Lahore.

On Monday, the Punjab government reconstituted the JIT an hour after it was formed to probe the attack on Iqbal.

Published in Daily Times, May 9^th 2018.