LAHORE: The police arrested a suspect involved in hitting a car on M-2 Motorway near Khanqah Dogran in which former special assistant to the prime minister for political communication Dr Shahbaz Gill and three other people were travelling.

Earlier, Kaleke Mandi police station registered a case under sections 324 (attempt to murder), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) and 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

On Friday morning, Muredky Crime Investigation Agency police first took into custody the owner of the car, Tahir Nazir.

The owner said he had rented the car to Wajahat Ali, who was travelling with his family when the accident took place. The police soon arrested driver Wajahat Ali and handed him over to the Hafizabad police. A police officer said the suspect stopped at the accident scene, but fled after seeing Mr Gill.

Quoting the suspect, the police officer said that the crash was accidental and that there was no intention to target anyone.

According to the FIR, complainant Jabir Ali said Naqi Khan was driving the car. Mr Gill was in the front seat, while he and another person, Izhar, were sitting in the backseat.

He said the rashly-driven vehicle hit their car near the Sukheki Interchange with the intention to kill them. The car went off the road and overturned. He said he and three others in the car sustained severe injuries and they were taken to hospital after first aid.

The complainant alleged that the accident was actually a “conspiracy to kill us, especially Shahbaz Gill” and demanded action against those who planned and executed the “conspiracy”.

Mr Gill, talking to media in Islamabad, also alleged that PML-N leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, were involved in the car crash.

He claimed it was an attempt on his life.

Published in Dawn,May 7th, 2022