Police suggest govt form JIT on Wazirabad attack.

LAHORE -- In the ongoing saga of pending investigation into the attack on former prime minister Imran Khan in Wazirabad, the Punjab police have recommended names of three officers to the provincial government to form a joint investigation team (JIT) to launch a formal probe into the case.

In a related development, the Punjab government has expressed 'no confidence' on the performance of Faisal Shahkar as the provincial police chief, and requested the Establishment Division, Islamabad, to withdraw his services forthwith.

A senior police official confirmed to Dawn that the police department has proposed the names of Punjab Additional Inspector General Riaz Nazir Garah, Deputy Inspector General (investigation) Nasir Satti and Assistant Inspector General (monitoring) Ehsanul Haq for a JIT to investigate the case of the assassination attempt on Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

The names had been proposed following the approval by Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Faisal Shahkar.

Under the rules, the official said, the Punjab Home Department was authorised to accept or reject the panel or remove any of the proposed individuals. It was also the provincial government's domain to include intelligence officials in the JIT.

In reply to a question, the official said the team would start its investigation into the high-profile case once a notification was issued. About the arrested suspects, including the one held from the crime scene, the official said they were all in the custody of the Counter-Terrorism Department for interrogation.

He claimed that the Central Police Office (CPO) or the Wazirabad police had not received a written objection from the PTI leadership to the FIR registered on the complaint of the police.

Meanwhile, regarding the IGP's transfer issue, the Punjab government has officially conveyed to the federal government through a letter written by the Services and General Administration Department that it had 'no confidence' in the officer owing to his 'mishandling' of the PTI long march and attack on Mr Khan.

'The provincial cabinet in its meeting held on Nov 4 unanimously showed its no confidence in the performance of Faisal Shahkar, the provincial police officer, pertaining to security measures, handling of long march and the incident that took place on Nov 3, in Wazirabad,' reads the letter addressed to the Establishment Division...