ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Monday passed a resolution paying tributes to late religious affairs minister Mufti Abdul Shakoor, who died in a road accident on Saturday night, and asked for proper investigation into the accident.

The resolution was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Murtaza Javed Abbasi after lawmakers, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, paid homage to the late minister.

Speaking on the occasion, some of the members demanded that the accident should be probed as it could be an assassination since the minister was facing threats. The demand was made by independent member Ali Wazir and endorsed by other members.

However, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said it seems to be a road accident. He, however, assured the house that a thorough investigation would be carried out to look into other possibilities.

PM desires award of Hilal-i-Imtiaz to late lawmaker

Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel said the late minister was under threat but there was no police guard with him.

The austerity drive has exposed us, he added. The police officials who shifted Mufti Shakoor to hospital after the accident even did not know that he was a minister.

Sources in the police told Dawn that a special team was being constituted to probe the case.

The leaders of the JUI-F met senior police officers and inquired about the incident. They were told that apparently it was an accident.

The JUI-F leaders, including complainant Qudratullah, are pursuing the case as the minister’s only son is a special child, they added.

The black Toyota Hilux Revo which crashed into the minister’s car was running at the speed of over 100 km per hour though the speed limit in the area is 80 km, they said. There was no check on speeding and other traffic rules violations in the area despite it being the high security zone.

Officials of Safe City also monitor traffic violations, including speed limits, through CCTVs installed on roads, the sources said. In case of major violations, including speeding and red light jumping, the officials of Safe City immediately alerted the staff on roads to intercept and stop such vehicles.

However, in the accident the staff failed to check the speeding of the Hilux and inform the staff on the road, the sources said. Besides, there were no police personnel to check and intercept the speeding vehicle.

The Hilux was owned by a poultry business operating in south Punjab, the sources said. The vehicle was bought on a lease from a bank, they said, adding five persons riding the vehicle were recovery agents of the poultry business and had come to Islamabad on duty.

Meanwhile, the prime minister has desired that Hilal-i-Imtiaz may be conferred upon the late Mufti Shakoor in recognition of his outstanding and selfless public service. He also desired that the cabinet division shall initiate a formal summary in this regard.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2023