LAHORE - The joint investigation team (JIT), tasked to probe the gun attack during Imran Khan-led PTI long march in Wazirabad city, was reconstituted yesterday after the allegation levelled by its members on its head and Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mahmood Dogar.
The development came after differences emerged between Dogar and the other four members of the JIT. According to the notification, the new members of JIT include Dera Ghazi Khan’s District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Akmal, Superintendent of Police (SP) Anjum Kamal, and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) CIA Jhang Nasir Nawaz. According to the notification, the decision to appoint the fourth member of any department rests with the JIT.
The former members had accused Mahmood Dogar of conducting the probe on political grounds, said the sources. Advocate Mian Dawood, the counsel of the suspect involved in the gun attack on Imran Khan, argued that Ghulam Mahmood Dogar was probing the case as per the will of the PTI leader.
In a statement, Naveed Meher’s counsel said that keeping Dogar as head of the JIT was based on “malice”. He added that it was necessary to remove Dogar as well from the JIT.
“The nation already considers Ghulam Mehmood Dogar responsible for botching the investigation of the case,” he added. The lawyer asked why the previous members of the probe body were presenting the suspects in the court when a new JIT has been constituted. The PTI chairman was attacked on November 3 in Wazirabad while he was leading the “Azadi March” against the Shehbaz Sharif-led government demanding snap polls.The law enforcement agencies (LEAs) apprehended suspect Naveed from the crime scene — who also confessed to opening fire on the PTI leadership. The first information report of the incident was registered on November 7 under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. Imran Khan had also cast aspersions over the investigation conducted by the JIT and requested the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial to form a powerful inquiry team.