Pak PM Shehbaz demands 'full court commission' to probe Imran Khan’s assassination bid allegation

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday demanded constitution of a “full court commission” by the Supreme Court to probe his predecessor Imran Khan's allegations that the premier, the interior minister and a senior military official had orchestrated the failed assassination bid on him.

Shehbaz also said he will step down if his involvement is found in any conspiracy related to the attack on Khan.

Khan, 70, suffered a bullet injury in the right leg on Thursday when two gunmen fired a volley of bullets at him and others mounting on a container-mounted truck in the Wazirabad area of Punjab province, where he was leading a protest march against the Shehbaz-led government. While one person died, several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders were injured in the incident.

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A day after the attack on him, Khan alleged that three people -- Prime Minister Shehbaz, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and Major General Faisal Naseer -- were behind the botched assassination attempt on his life.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Prime Minister Shehbaz said, “I request the chief justice of Pakistan to make a full court commission, including senior and junior judges. Chief Justice (Umar Atta) Bandial, I request you to make a full court commission; I will also send you a letter for it, and I hope you will entertain this request. If you didn’t entertain my request then such allegations would come up again.”

“The federal government will also fully cooperate with the commission and will accept its findings whole-heartedly,” he added.

Asserting that he will step down if his involvement is found in any conspiracy related to the attack on Khan, Shehbaz said, "If Khan provides proof that I or the interior minister or the army officer was involved in the conspiracy, then I will not be prime minister even for a minute. I will resign.”

Shehbaz said the allegations made by Khan have hit the foundation of Pakistan and he will make all efforts to bring the country out of the instability.

Reacting to Khan's allegations against the unnamed military official, Shehbaz said the PTI chief “is attacking the Pakistan Army like an enemy”.

A smear campaign is being run on social media against the military, he alleged.

Shehbaz said Khan is a "liar from head to toe" and is trying his best to destroy Pakistan.

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“You [Imran Khan] are pushing the nation towards destruction through lies...it’s my responsibility to save the nation from this destruction,” he said.

On the delay in registering an FIR of the attack, Shehbaz said Khan’s party PTI is in power in the Punjab province and the provincial government should tell why the First Information Report of the assassination attempt has not been registered so far.

The Pakistan Army in a statement has said that the baseless and irresponsible allegations by Khan against the institution and particularly a senior army officer are absolutely unacceptable and uncalled for.

The institution will jealously safeguard its officers and soldiers no matter what. The baseless allegations hurled at the institution/officials today are highly regrettable and strongly condemned, the Army said in a strong statement, hours after Khan made the allegations.

"No one will be allowed to defame the institution or its soldiers with impunity," it said, adding that the Army has requested the Pakistan government to investigate the matter and initiate legal action against those responsible for defamation and false accusations against the institution and its officials without any evidence whatsoever.

Meanwhile, Khan asked his party workers and supporters to continue protesting against his assassination attempt until the three “accused” resigned. He said the resignations of the three, who “controlled all agencies”, was necessary for an impartial probe.