LAHORE – A committee formed by Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani to probe into 15-year-old Qasim Siddique’s death, who tried to escape to Dubai, UAE by hiding in an airplane’s wheels but died after falling from the plane, and issue of his missing friend Ali Jamshaid has completed its initial inquiry, Pakistan Today has learnt.
According to details, a couple of days ago, Gilani had constituted a committee consisting of Civil Aviation Joint Secretary Arshad Farooq, Air Commodore Gulzar Janjua and Squadron Leader Mujahid. According to sources, the inquiry committee has completed initial investigation during their visit to the airport.
The committee met airport authorities and Lahore airport manager Azam who assisted them in going through all circumstantial evidence. According to sources, the inquiry committee, in its initial finding, confirmed that Qasim died after falling from the airplane. It is also learnt that after visit of the inquiry committee to the airport, Qasim’s bag, which was recovered from the runway, was sent to a forensic laboratory
for examination.
Afterwards, the committee also visited houses of Qasim and Ali where they met their parents and friends. The committee, during their visit, was assisted by North Cantt Police Station Incharge Investigation Zahid Hussain Shah. Committee members recorded statements of parents and friends of Qasim and Ali. Team members, talking to journalists, said that investigation is underway and nothing could be ascertained yet.
Qasim’s father Siddique told journalists that committee members have raised only three questions repeatedly. “Team members have questioned us how Qasim and Ali went missing, how they managed to reach the runway and why we had not reported to police when Qasim and Ali had gone missing”, he added. Siddique showed deep concerns over attitude of the committee and said that investigators should solve this case as early as possible instead of repeatedly questioning them.
Ali’s father Jamshaid told journalists that they were cooperating with investigators but this time, investigators have harassed them. He said that investigators have also threatened to putt them behind bars.