The Punjab police have formed a fact-finding committee to investigate the death of a PTI worker during a crackdown a day ago on those participating in the party’s rally following the imposition of Section 144 in Lahore, it emerged on Thursday.
In a notification dated March 8, Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Humayun Bashir Tarar ordered an inquiry into the “incidents of police clashes with [PTI] workers”, especially the death of Ali Bilal, a PTI worker who the party chairman Imran Khan alleged was “murdered by Punjab police”.
As the PTI was about to commence a rally yesterday to express its support for the judiciary, the government imposed Section 144, banning all kinds of gatherings.
Following the ban, police officials had taken scores of PTI workers into custody for violating the ban and used water cannons in an effort to disperse them which had led the PTI chairman to call off the rally.
Alleging that the police were behind Bilal’s death, Imran had shared a video that he said showed the worker alive while being transported to the police station on Wednesday. He also shared a photo of his body, with a streak of blood on his forehead.
The inquiry team comprises Punjab Elite Police Force Deputy Inspector General Sadiq Ali and Lahore Capital City District Internal Accountability Bureau Senior Superintendent of Police Imran Kishwar.
