The lawyer of the suspect arrested after the Nov 3 attack on PTI chairman Imran Khan claimed on Thursday that the joint investigation team (JIT) \u2014 constituted by the Punjab government to probe the incident \u2014 had \u201cdistorted the facts\u201d and \u201cwasted evidence\u201d in the case.<\/p>\n
Advocate Mian Dawood made these claims in light of \u201cfresh evidence\u201d purportedly provided in the JIT report. It had reportedly found that the attack was carried out from three different shooting sites.<\/p>\n
An official privy to the findings earlier told Dawn that shots were fired by \u201cthree unknown shooters, from unknown weapons\u201d from a considerable height other than the gun attack carried out by the suspect, Naveed Meher, arrested from the spot.<\/p>\n
Last year, a PTI worker died and 14 others, including the former prime minister and PTI leaders, were injured in the attack at Wazirabad\u2019s Allah\u00adwala Chowk, where the party\u2019s \u201cHaqeeqi Azadi\u201d\u2019 march against the federal government had stopped on its way to Islamabad.<\/p>\n
In a press conference today, Dawood alleged that the PTI supporter killed on the spot was hit by a bullet fired by Imran\u2019s guard.<\/p>\n
It is pertinent to mention here that in a media talk yesterday, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that the forensic test of Imran\u2019s guards\u2019 weapons established that none of them fired even a single shot.<\/p>\n
He added that PTI worker Moazzam was killed by a bullet aimed at the detained shooter. \u201cThe assassin had to be killed on the spot but ill-fated Moazzam came in the way,\u201d Chaudhry said.<\/p>\n
However, talking to reporters today, Dawood refuted PTI\u2019s claim saying that the video that showed Imran\u2019s guard firing was not being made part of the case record.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe video clearly shows that Moazzam was killed by the guard\u2019s firing. They knew the entire onus will be on the guard and if that happened, then the man who hired him will also be in trouble,\u201d he claimed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe purpose of the JIT was to save Imran and his guard. It was an attempt to waste evidence. And they did it. If we connect the dots, Imran\u2019s guard is responsible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dawood went on to say that the angling of the shots fired on Moazzam pointed to the position of the guard.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt least 90 policemen\u2019s statements were recorded by the JIT [\u2026] but all of them have disappeared now,\u201d the lawyer said, claiming that the JIT\u2019s work showed that the \u201centire incident was planted and was set up for PTI\u2019s political goals\u201d.<\/p>\n
He also said that the \u201cJIT prepared the investigation report at Zaman Park after consultation with PTI lawyers\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis clearly means that the report has no legal value. If PTI believes that the attack was genuine, then why are they running away from getting the FIR registered?<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause they know everything was planted so that Imran\u2019s long march could be revived. This was all just a drama,\u201d Dawood claimed.<\/p>\n
He also questioned the veracity of the bullets received by Imran, saying that there were \u201cno signs of an attack on the container\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cImran was the only beneficiary of this entire episode. It was a plan to revive the long march. They are marketing fake injuries to give a boost to the party leader\u2019s image.\u201d<\/p>\n
The lawyer added that \u201cwe are considering registering a case against Imran, his guard in the killing of Moazzam\u201d.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, the PTI criticised the government for allegedly running Dawood\u2019s press conference on the state media.<\/p>\n
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