LAHORE: The Lahore police claimed that the armed attack on the residence of former Punjab governor and senior lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa was planned by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Zubair Khan Niazi.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Lahore Investigation DIG Kamran Adil shared the breakthrough in the probe into the case of attack on the DHA residence of Mr Khosa, saying that the prime suspect who had opened fire has been arrested.

The incident occurred on June 16 when unidentified armed men opened fire at the main gate of Khosa’s residence.

In the attack, driver of Mr Khosa was injured and a footage later showed two armed motorcyclists fleeing after the incident.

The former governor had sharply reacted saying those ‘irked by his speeches’, were behind the attack. Khosa had shown to the media holes in the door of his residence saying a Kalashnikov was used in the attack.

The DIG said the suspect told the investigators that he was tasked with firing on the residence of senior lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan as well.

He said the suspect was identified as Mohsin alias Lamba, a resident of Millat Park, Samanabad, Lahore.

He had a criminal record and wanted in 14 other cases of firing lodged against him with various police stations of the city. The suspect told the police that he had carried out the attack on the house of Sardar Latif Khosa at the behest of PTI leader Zubair Khan Niazi.

According to the suspect, Zubair Niazi had hired him to complete the task for Rs1 million, the DIG said.

However, he paid Rs100,000 only from the promised amount, the suspect told the police investigators. It seemed the motive behind the ‘planned crime’ was to create tension between the lawyers’ community and the government, the DIG said.

The police have extended scope of investigation after the arrest of the suspect and his statement about the involvement of Zubair Niazi in the attack.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2023