Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been summoned by a joint investigation team (JIT) in relation to the violent attack on the historic Corps Commander House, also known as Jinnah House, which took place on May 9.
As the head of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, Khan has been requested to appear before the JIT at the Qilla Gujjar police headquarters in Lahore at 4 pm. The JIT is investigating a case registered against the attack at the Sarwar Road police station.
The incident occurred during anti-government protests following the arrest of former Prime Minister Khan. Protesters, including a significant number of PTI party workers, stormed Jinnah House, vandalized it, and set it on fire.
The JIT, established by the Punjab interim government to investigate the arson attacks on Jinnah House and the Askari Corporate Tower in Lahore, issued the summons to Khan on Tuesday.
Following the arrest of former Prime Minister Khan, street protests erupted, leading to a series of events that included an exodus of PTI leaders and a crackdown by security forces on the party.
The protests resulted in the loss of at least eight lives and witnessed acts of violence targeting both civil and military institutions.
During the unrest, protesters set fire to a stationary plane in the Mianwali district of Punjab, Khan’s hometown, and attacked the ISI building in Faisalabad.
The mob even breached the Army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, marking the first-ever incident of its kind. Multiple military installations were vandalized or set ablaze during the two-day violent protests.
The JIT, headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Kamran Adil, has summoned former Prime Minister Khan to appear before them at 4 pm. The probe body aims to question Khan regarding his involvement in the riots that occurred on May 9.
To investigate the attacks and violent protests of that day, the Punjab Home Department has established ten separate JITs, with the army referring to the events as the “Black Day.”
Several First Information Reports (FIRs) have been filed against the deposed prime minister at various police stations in the province, as per the report.
Upon receiving the notice from the JIT, Khan sought advice from his legal team. However, a decision regarding whether the PTI chairman will appear before the probe body or not has not been reached yet, the report stated.
