Pakistan: Punjab IGP refutes allegations of PTI, terms party worker's death "accident"

Punjab Inspector General Usman Anwar on Saturday said that PTI worker Ali Bilal's death was a "accident case" and "unfortunately misinterpreted."

Punjab Inspector General Usman Anwar on Saturday refuted allegations of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that the provincial administration was responsible for the murder of its party worker Ali Bilal, The Express Tribune reported. Anwar said that Ali Bilal's death was an "accident case" and "unfortunately misinterpreted." The PTI had claimed that party worker Ali Bilal died of police violence and torture after personnel launched a crackdown on party workers and supporters protesting near former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's residence, as per the news report.

The post-mortem examination of the body revealed that Bilal died due to massive blunt trauma to his body, including a skull fracture and intracranial hemorrhaging, as per the news report. The post-mortem examination further added that PTI worker received 26 injuries to his body, including serious injury to the head. Speaking at a press conference with Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Usman Anwar said that the evidence "clearly" showed the case was an "accident" and that no person attempted to murder the victim and blame it on the police. He further said that the prime suspect looked "tense" in the CCTV footage.

The police official said that the accused tried to "save the victim at one point and take him to the hospital" and added that the interpretation of the incident was rather "misfortunate," The Express Tribune reported. The police official further said that the people in the vehicle were not criminals and they tried to save Ali Bilal after assaulting him. However, false videos were circulated on social media to negatively showcase the police and government, as per the news report.

Anwar said the car involved in the accident was traced through 31 CCTV cameras and added that his administration was not involved in the incident. He said that the PTI should refrain from levelling "baseless allegations". On Thursday, Imran Khan said that one of his workers was killed, while several others were seriously injured in police crackdown, reported Dawn. Lashing out at Punjab police for brutality and "custodial murder" of a supporter, Ali Bilal, Imran said that the actions of the caretaker Punjab government were tantamount to "blocking democracy."

In a strong reaction to the event, Imran said, "Ali Bilal unarmed, our dedicated and passionate PTI worker murdered by Punjab police." "Shameful, this brutality on unarmed PTI workers who were coming to attend election rallies. Pakistan is in the grip of murderous criminals. We will file cases against IG, CCPO and others for murder," he added. (ANI)

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