File photo of a clash between TLP and police at Faizabad. Aamir Qureshi—AFP
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday urged Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa to make public an inquiry into the Faizabad dharna, punish those responsible for it, and implement the recommendations proposed by the probe.
While the report has yet to be submitted in court, local media has already reported on its contents, noting former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt. Gen. (retd.) Faiz Hameed stands exonerated, while the Punjab government led by then-chief minister Shehbaz Sharif has been found to have erred in allowing the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) to proceed to Islamabad. While the report stops short of singling out any individual as responsible for the sit-in, its censure of the Punjab government has prompted critics to demand action against Sharif, who is currently Prime Minister of Pakistan.
In a statement, the PTI said contents of the inquiry report were “important” and it was the fundamental right of the public to be made aware of them. The party alleged the inquiry commission had declared Sharif and the former Punjab government “responsible” in light of testimonies recorded by then-prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal, and others.
“Shehbaz should resign from his post [as prime minister] and be answerable to the nation regarding his criminal mistakes,” read the statement, adding criminal cases should be registered against the incumbent premier and his cabinet.
The party said it was important to reveal to the public facts regarding the “role of institutions in national politics.”
However, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has claimed the report compiled by the Faizabad dharna commission lacks any “credibility,” adding the authors had not done justice to the duty assigned to them. Speaking with anchor Asma Sherazi, he said neither former Army chief Gen (retd.) Qamar Javed Bajwa, nor ex-spymaster Hameed had appeared before the commission to answer its questions.
“How can this report be complete when two main characters are not presented,” he questioned, regretting only political workers appeared. “Their absence makes this report incomplete,” he added.