ISLAMABAD: Police have registered a case against five suspects involved in a road accident that claimed the life of religious affairs minister Mufti Abdul Shakoor on Saturday night, while the driver of the vehicle – Rao Gul Khan – which rammed into the minister’s car was sent on a two-day physical remand by a duty magistrate on Sunday.

A motor vehicle examiner report quoted by the police stated that the Hilux vehicle was being driven at the speed of 110km per hour even though the maximum speed limit was 60km per hour. On the other hand, Mufti Shakoor was driving his car at a speed of 30km per hour.

The collision completely destroyed the car of the late minister, with its front tyre and axle separated from the main body.

The Hilux reportedly belonged to a well-known businessman in the poultry sector whose family has a close affiliation with a religious party. Besides the driver, two persons travelling in the Hilux vehicle were shifted to a hospital while the other two managed to flee the scene.

According to FIR, complainant Haji Qudratullah informed the Secretariat police that the minister had visited his house for Iftar and then left for Parliament Lodges at 8:22pm. However, at 10pm complainant’s cook received a call from Mufti Shakoor’s driver informing him about the death of the minister in the accident.

The Hilux driver was carelessly driving the vehicle and rammed into the minister’s car, as per the FIR.

The complainant requested the police to investigate all aspects of the incident due to its “sensitive nature and take action” against individuals present in the other vehicle.

The police have included Sections 279 (rash driving) and 322 (punishment for qatl-bis-sabab) and 427 (mischief causing damage) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

A police official, requesting anonymity, said that the blood samples of the driver were also taken to check if he was intoxicated at the time of driving.

The minister, 55, was heading towards Secretariat Chowk on Constitution Avenue when his car was hit by the Hilux vehicle with five passengers on board. The minister was immediately shifted to the Polyclinic Hospital in critical condition, but he could not be resuscitated.

Hospital officials said the minister suffered a serious head injury, leading to his death. They said the body of the deceased had been handed over to the family after a postmortem.

Mufti Shakoor was a vocal JUI-F leader known for his fiery speeches against his political rivals, especially PTI. He won the National Assembly seat of NA-51 in the 2018 general elections on the platform of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.

He hailed from Lakki Marwat.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2023