SOMETHING is rotten in the state of Punjab. We have been treated with a litany of allegations and counter-allegations in the two weeks since a would-be assassin pulled a gun on former prime minister Imran Khan; yet, there continues to be zero progress on actually uncovering the facts of the case.
The inability of the PTI and the Punjab government, led by the PML-Q, to agree on something as mundane as which official should lead the investigation is surprising, especially since both parties had thus far managed to stick together despite immense pressure on the latter to part ways.
Mr Khan seems quite discontent with how his allies are doing business in Punjab. His demand for a fourth reconstitution of the joint investigation team suggests a considerable lack of faith in the people that he, merely months ago, gifted the country’s largest province to. To add insult to injury, his personal security is also being handled by the KP Police now, even though he is currently residing in Lahore.
The choice of individual to whom the JIT has most recently been handed to is also remarkable. Mr Khan apparently personally recommended Lahore CCPO Ghulam Mahmood Dogar to lead the team.
Mr Dogar is currently involved in a serious stand-off with the centre over his refusal to relinquish charge as Lahore police chief. The federal government had earlier suspended and recalled him over his alleged failure to adequately secure Governor House in Lahore during protests triggered by the attack on the PTI chairman. However, the Federal Services Tribunal later endorsed Mr Dogar’s position and said he may continue serving as Lahore police chief.
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It is clear what motivated his selection as head of the JIT by Mr Khan, who does not trust the Punjab Police in general. The PTI chief seems to think that someone who has their own axe to grind with the federal government may be more amenable to his wishes. So much for hoping the investigation will be impartial and independent.
Everything that has happened in connection with this case thus far has made it increasingly doubtful that we may ever see an undisputed version of what transpired on Nov 3, 2022.
The government has continued to insist that the attack was the work of a lone wolf driven by religious fanaticism. Mr Khan insists that this is just a cover-up, that there were two attackers, and some of the most powerful people in the state and government were involved in a conspiracy to eliminate him from the picture.
The protracted FIR imbroglio and subsequent delays in getting an investigation off the ground have all but ensured that the case will never be acceptably resolved. Meanwhile, the incident will continue to be milked for its political worth. Perhaps some want to keep it that way.
Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2022
