Screengrab of Mian Dawood’s press conference
Mian Dawood, the lawyer for Naveed—the primary accused in the Nov. 3 shooting on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s long march—on Thursday claimed that the joint investigation team (JIT) tasked to probe the incident had “distorted the facts,” and questioned how its report was provided to PTI leaders prior to being submitted in court.
Addressing a press conference a day after PTI leader Chaudhry Fawad Hussain had shared portions of the report with media, he alleged that the JIT had recorded statements of over 90 policemen but these were not included in its report. This, he claimed, showed that the shooting incident was “planted and set up for the PTI’s political goals.” Maintaining that the JIT had prepared the report at Zaman Park [Khan’s Lahore residence] after consultation with PTI lawyers, he said it now had “no legal value.”
Pointing to the PTI’s delay in registering a First Information Report (FIR), he said this too suggested the attack was not genuine. “They [PTI] know everything was planted so that Imran’s long march could be revived. This was all just a drama,” he claimed, adding authorities were also trying to force the accused to change his statement.
Questioning the PTI’s claims of Khan’s injuries, he said there were no signs of an attack on the container. “Imran 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’s image,” he alleged.
The lawyer also questioned the Fawad’s claims of PTI workers Moazzam Gondal being shot dead by a second or third shooter, maintaining that evidence suggested he was killed by a bullet fired by Khan’s guard. Claiming that a video showing the guard opening fire was not being made part of the case record, he said it “clearly” showed who had murdered Moazzam. “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,” he claimed, reiterating that the JIT’s sole aim was to “save” Khan and his guard. “It was an attempt to waste evidence. And they did it. If we connect the dots, Imran’s guard is responsible,” he said, claiming the angle of the shot fired at Moazzam also pointed to the guard’s involvement.
Claiming that he was considering registering a case against Khan and his guard for the killing of Moazzam, he alleged the guard’s weapon had never been submitted to forensics during the probe.
Reacting to the press conference, the PTI’s official account on Twitter questioned how it was organized and who had “pressured the media” to cover it.