- Holds govt responsible for incident, rejects Punjab Govt’s investigation committee, says third umpire necessary for fair investigation
- PTI Multan President Ejaz Janjua ‘boycotts’ skipper’s press conference
- Stampede victims’ father donates compensatory cheque to Shaukat Khanum Hospital
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has demanded a judicial enquiry into the stampede at the end of the party’s Multan rally in which at least eight people were killed and over 100 others injured.
Holding the government responsible for the incident, Khan said, “If you (government) lock the gates from outside and the power is cut off, then such an incident is inevitable.”
Rejecting a three-member committee formed by the Punjab Government to probe the tragedy and urging for a fair investigation, Khan said, “A third umpire is always needed – whether to probe election rigging or incidents like this one.”
The stampede started when thousands of PTI supporters rushed towards the exit gates of Qasim Bagh Stadium as the power supply was cut off.
Khan, who had earlier been unable to attend the victims’ funeral prayers, had come to Multan to condole with the victims’ families. Accompanied by PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi and others, Khan visited Qasim Bela and met the family of one of the victims, Salimullah.
Speaking to media before his departure to Multan, Khan said that following the inability of the administration to launch an impartial probe, PTI was also holding intra-party investigation into the incident and a meeting of the party’s core committee had been summoned.
“I will myself decide who will come at the stage in PTI’s rally in Sargodha,” Khan said.
VICTIMS’ FATHER DONATES COMPENSATION TO SKMH:
In the meanwhile, father of youth Hassan Muawiya, who was killed during the stampede following the PTI’s public meeting in Multan, has donated a compensation cheque given to him by the PTI chief to ShaukatKhanumHospital.
Per details, Khan visited Muawiya’s residence to condole with his father Allah Bakh on Sunday. On the occasion, Khan handed over a compensation cheque of Rs 800, 000 to the deceased’s father. However Allah Bakh refused to accept the cheque and returned it to Khan saying that it should be treated as a donation to ShaukatKhanumHospital.
Despite repeated requests by the PTI chief, Allah Bakhsh did not accept the assistance.
On this occasion, Khan announced that he would arrange service for the deceased’s brother Hassan Muawiya in Muscat.
Praising the sentiments of the deceased’s father, Khan expressed the hope that the spirit of the youth and their parents would help in building a new Pakistan.
PTI MULTAN PRESIDENT BOYCOTTS KHAN’S PRESS CONFERENCE:
Meanwhile, PTI Multan District President Ejaz Janjua Sunday announced to boycott the PTI chief’s press conference.
Per reports, Janjua reached Khalid Khakwani’s residence where the press conference was to take place but returned after he did not find his name on the security clearance list; neither was a seat reserved for him on the stage.
Janjua said that no elected office bearer of the district organisation, including woman representatives and district president of the women wing, was invited to the press conference. He opined that the press conference should have taken place at the party’s district office instead of the residence of a candidate who had lost party elections.