Fact Check: Imran Khan Attack Case Probe JIT's Misleading Claims About Imran

 

Last week, former Prime Minister Imran Khan made several claims regarding the findings of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), one of which was that the JIT had found some evidence that the day Khan was attacked There were three armed assailants there that day.

Claim

In his January 5 video address, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan alleged that the joint investigation team formed by the Punjab government on November 15 had made the following revelations:

• On November 3, three assailants opened fire on the gathering of Imran Khan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf.

• Muazzam was killed by accident, as the gunmen's main target was Naveed, the main accused.

Imran Khan said, "The polygraph test shows that Naveed lied about being in touch with only one person, there was a whole plan behind this [attack].

Imran Khan added that Naveed also lied about not being trained in pistol firing, he was a trained person.

• And the claim that the assailant Naveed was a religiously motivated person has also been debunked by the JIT investigation.

All the findings of the JIT have been submitted to the court.

Reality

The convener of the investigation team has sent a joint investigation letter to the Capital City Police Officer. In the letter, four out of five members of the team have denied these unsubstantiated claims of Imran Khan.

Regional Police Officer (RPO) Dera Ghazi Khan Khurram Ali Khan, Superintendent of Police (SP) Additional Inspector General (AIG) Monitoring Ehsanullah Chauhan, Senior Superintendent of Police Intelligence Counter Terrorism Department (SSP, C) on a joint letter. TD) Signatures of Naseebullah Khan and Superintendent Police Potohar Division Tariq Mehboob are present.

In the letter, these four members have rejected the following claims:

Claim: The attackers were three.

JIT Members: There is no corroborated evidence on record to show that the assailants were more than one.

Claim: Moazzam was killed accidentally while the real target was accused Naveed.

JIT members: It is not yet known who was responsible for Moazzam's death.

Claim: Polygraph test reveals that accused Naveed lied about being in contact with only one person.

JIT Members: So far no data/call record or witness has been found which links the main accused with any other person involved in the planning of this crime.

Claim: The claim that the attacker was a religious extremist has been debunked by the JIT findings.

JIT Members: The investigation of the case registered in Green Town Lahore is not yet complete and at this stage it makes no sense to make [religious extremism] the basis/motive of such an important case.