New Delhi

After four days and the judicial intervention, the Punjab police in Pakistan has finally registered an FIR regarding the assassination attempt on the former Prime Miminster Imran Khan under anti-terrorism law and named key suspect, an allegedly mentally unstanble person Naveed as the prime accused.

It’s interesting to note that Imran Khan has accused Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, and a senior intelligence officer Major General Faisal Naseer for hatching a conspiracy to kill him. The FIR has skipped this.

According to Dawn newspaper, PTI leader Zubair Khan Niazi had filed a complaint with the police against these three top authorities of Pakistan and demanded an FIR be lodged against them.

The FIR filed by an police officer came following the directives of the Supreme Court to the the Gujrat district police officer (DPO) to lodge the case and submit a copy to it on Tuesday. Taking suo moto notice of the attack on Thursday, Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial had ordered the police to register  the case within 24 hours.

The apex court made these remarks during a contempt case against the PTI chairman over the May 25 violence and the alleged violation of an undertaking given to the court by the PTI. However, the proceedings ended up with the court issuing directions over multiple issues, including the assassination bid on Imran Khan, alleged political interference in the Punjab police, the Azam Swati case, and Arshad Sharif’s murder probe.

“Can’t you see this is an assassination attempt against a national leader,” observed Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial with a direction that the provincial police will report to the Supreme Court in writing about the registration of the FIR and subsequent measures taken regarding the investigation.

The CJ said the assassination attempt on Mr Khan was “very distressing” but also noted that the PTI chairman had been discharged from the hospital. The case will be taken up next week. The counsel expressed the hope that he may sit with his client on Thursday to seek fresh instructions and finalise the reply.

Giving reasons for the delay, Punjab IG Shahkar who joined the proceedings via video link from Lahore said that as per the concerned district police officer (DPO), no formal complaint has been received by the police. The IG claimed that he had also discussed the matter with Chief Minister Parvez Elahi but the CM had “some reservations over the content of the FIR”.

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Many journalists have questioned Imran Khan’s decision to shift to Lahore;s Shaukat Khanam hospital for some reasons. According to them, no blood samples were taken and no evidence was saved for investigations.