Analysis: Parallel JITs 'diminish' chances of fair Wazirabad probe.

FREQUENT changes in the formation of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the gun attack on former prime minister Imran Khan in Wazirabad has resulted in 'needless controversies and legal complications', diminishing the prospects of a fair probe into the assassination bid, law enforcement experts told Dawn.

Though the dust is yet to settle in the wake of the confrontation between rival political parties over the Wazirabad case, the federal government made a surprise entry with a 'parallel team' on Jan 22, something the provincial authorities alleged was a bid to influence the investigation process.

A week after the Parvez Elahi government reconstituted the investigation team - headed by Ghulam Mehmood Dogar - probing the assassination bid on Imran Khan, the federal government constituted its own JIT headed by former Punjab IG Rao Sardar Ali Khan.

Interestingly, Rao Sardar is disliked by the PTI because it was under his watch that the PTI's long march in May last year was crushed, while Mahmood Dogar is not palatable to PML-N for his purported proximity to the PTI-PML-Q alliance.

Seasoned law enforcers say political rivalries have mired investigation into attack on Imran Khan's caravan in 'needless legal complications'

'Fair probe'

Commenting on the legal complications in the wake of the new JIT formed by the federal government, a police expert expressed disappointment, saying that the chances of fair investigations into the high-profile gun attack case have further decreased after the government instituted a 'parallel investigation body' to probe the same case.

'The notification issued on Jan 22 has not cleared the legal status of the JIT formed by the Punjab government to investigate the case,' the police officer said, declaring the new JIT a case of 'overriding' by the federal government.

To a question, he said that there were some instances in the past when the federal government intervened and formed a JIT to investigate the high-profile terrorism cases lodged by provinces.

Referring to the murder case of slain PPP leader Benazir Bhutto lodged with the Rawalpindi police under anti-terrorism charges, the expert said the government had assigned the probe to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). Articles 142 and 143 of the Constitution vested the federal government with powers in this respect, the officer said.

'If any provision of an Act of a Provincial Assembly is repugnant to any provision of an Act of Majlis-i-Shoora...

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