Named Mian Iftikhar in FIR under pressure, says slain PTI youth's father

Published June 1, 2015
"It would have been like killing my own son," he said. He also said he would do his best to bring Habibullah's murderer to justice. ─ INP/File
"It would have been like killing my own son," he said. He also said he would do his best to bring Habibullah's murderer to justice. ─ INP/File

PESHAWAR: The father of deceased Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) activist Habibullah said in court on Monday that he was pressured into registering a case against Awami National Party (ANP) central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain for the murder of his son.

During the hearing, the victim's father Sher Alam said neither the ANP leader, nor his guards, were involved in the murder of his son, and that he had been pressured into registering an First Information Report against Mian Iftikhar by "enraged protesters" during a clash between ANP and PTI activists.

"People put pressure on me. Neither Mian Iftikhar nor his guards murdered my son," he told Nowshera Judicial Magistrate Sheraz Tariq, adding that he was overcome by emotion at the time.

Accused Mian Iftikhar in court said he "could never think of killing anyone".

"It would have been like killing my own son," he said. He also said he would do his best to bring Habibullah's murderer to justice.

The court ordered a judicial lockup for Mian Iftikhar following the hearing. The ANP leader will remain in jail until he is granted bail.

A bail hearing will take place tomorrow.

Mian Iftikhar Hussain was arrested on Sunday after the killing of a PTI activist in the Pabbi area of KP's Nowshera district. The killing took place following a clash between ANP and PTI activists near his Pabbi residence on Saturday night after the announcement of the area's results of the local government polls held the same day.

The PTI activist died of gunshot wounds sustained during the clash. A case was registered against the veteran ANP leader and his guards on various charges including murder and attempted murder over the complaint of the deceased's father.

Read more: ANP's Mian Iftikhar Hussain arrested after killing of PTI activist

Imran Khan during a press conference on Sunday said that Mian Iftikhar’s arrest was not politically motivated.

The PTI chairman said the KP police was not under political influence, and that no one in the provincial government had ordered Mian Iftikhar’s arrest.

Khan said the police had acted on its own in accordance with the law, and “whatever their investigation concludes, we will accept that.”

Read more: Mian Iftikhar's arrest not politically motivated: Imran Khan

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