LAHORE: The PPP has rejected the joint investigation team (JIT), formed by the government, demanding formation of a judicial commission to probe the Sahiwal tragedy.

“We reject the JIT instituted by the government on the Sahiwal carnage and demand it should announce a judicial commission for fair investigation whose results may be acceptable to all,” PPP Punjab President Qamar Zaman Kaira said after condoling with the family of the victims here on Monday.

The Senate Standing Committee on Interior has already recommended judicial inquiry into the catastrophic incident.

Kaira says govt presser before JIT report belies its stance

Mr Kaira also objected to the Punjab government’s press conference on the issue before submission of the JIT report, saying as the government had given its stance on the killings and the report would add nothing new to it.

Pointing to the poor and unprofessional interception of the victims’ vehicle by the CTD, he said the car could have been halted on multiple toll plazas on Multan Road and/or a bomb-proof vehicle could have been used to pre-empt any attack by the ‘suspects’.

Mr Kaira pledged to fight on the issue until winning justice for the victim families.

PPP Information Secretary Hassan Murtaza lamented that those blamed for the firing had been included in the JIT and thus a fair report from the body could not be expected.

He demanded nomination of the prime minister and the chief minister in the FIR as per the PTI’s demand in the Model Town case and added they both should resume their offices after their clearance in the case.

He also chided the government for declaring the victims as terrorists one day and martyrs on the other day.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2019