Security forces on Tuesday killed a gunman after he allegedly opened fire on a patrol team at Mall Road in Rawalpindi.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Rawalpindi police said the incident took place at 11:15 a.m. They said Muhammad Hussain, son of Muhammad Baz, allegedly opened fire with a pistol at a security forces’ patrol team on Mall Road, injuring one personnel.
According to the statement, the forces immediately returned fire and killed the attacker, who was described as being affiliated with a specific political party. It said additional evidence regarding his affiliations and links was recovered from his mobile phone and other belongings.
Further investigation into the incident is underway, the statement added.
Subsequently, on Tuesday evening, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar identified the “specific political party” as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). In a video statement, he criticized the party for its “violent politics,” stressing there was no justification for the incident. He alleged that resorting to violence had become the worst aspect of PTI’s politics, adding its protests often featured armed people who had previously open fired on, and killed, security personnel.
The minister accused the PTI of not believing in peaceful protest. He said the latest incident had exposed the party’s nefarious objectives and designs before the nation, stressing opening fire on a security official in broad daylight and in public demonstrated the party’s belief in violence.
Tarar said authorities had recovered a PTI flag and other documents from the slain gunman, adding the PTI’s planned long march in September reflected its policy of taking to the streets when Pakistan gained international recognition. He recalled the party had previously announced protests when a head of state, president or prime minister of another country was visiting the country.
Later, appearing on TV, Special Assistant to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Shafi Jan confirmed that Hussain was a PTI worker from Khyber district. However, he stressed, the gunman had no party position or responsibility and linking the incident to the party was unfair. He urged the government to release CCTV footage of the entire incident to make clear the aims of the gunman.
In an official statement, the PTI described the incident as “regrettable,” adding it was a matter of “grave concern.” Calling for a “thorough, impartial, transparent, and judicial investigation” into the incident, it said this was necessary to avoid any innocent individual or political party being held responsible on the basis of allegations.
“The party unequivocally rejects all forms of violence and does not regard such acts as part of its political struggle,” it said, claiming the government’s accusations raised “serious questions.”
The party also demanded the full details of the incident, including CCTV footage, all available evidence, and the findings of the investigation, to be made public. Until an impartial investigation was completed, it said, no political party or its workers should be “unjustly held responsible.”