GUJRAT, Jan 1: Former PML-N MPA Malik Hanif Awan, a political rival of slain MPA Chaudhry Farooq, was interrogated in the Sarai Alamgir police station, it was learnt here on Wednesday.

Sources said the MPA was called in police station on Tuesday where some police officials had cross-questioned him to ascertain either he was involved in the killings or not.

They said the police suspected that the possibility of Awan’s indirect involvement in the killing of Chaudhry Farooq and his five companions could not be ruled out. The police believed that the nominated accused Younas alias Phana had direct or indirect relations with Hanif Awan. It was also believed that 10 nominated accused in the FIR had also political affiliation with PML-N, they said.

Awan was later allowed to go on the condition that he would have to join the investigation again if needed in the near future.

Sources said it was unsure that if police had cleared the former PML-N MPA or not though he had assured the police that he was innocent and had no links with the nominated accused.

It is to be mentioned that Malik Hanif Awan is not the nominated accused.

Meanwhile, Qul of slain MPA Chaudhry Farooq was held at his residence in Sarai Alamgir on Wednesday. Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool and former Punjab chief minister Mian Manzoor Wattoo were also present on the occasion.

Terming the killing of Farooq an unbearable loss for his party, Mr Wattoo demanded that the law enforcement agencies should arrest the culprits. The governor also expressed his displeasure with Gujranwala range DIG Malik Iqbal and Gujrat DPO Raja Munawar for their failure in arresting the culprits even after the lapse of three days. He directed the two officials to arrest the accused at the earliest.

ACCIDENT: One person was killed while five others received injuries in an accident on the GT Road near Sarai Alamgir on Tuesday.