Ahsan's assailant is affiliated with Tehreek-e-Labbaik: DC Narowal

The preliminary report sent to the chief secretary of the provincial government by deputy commissioner Narowal, says the man “showed his affiliation to Tehreek-e-Labbaik”.

Tehreek-e-Labbaik is the same group the participants of which had staged the sit-in at Faizabad to press their demand to publicize the Zafar ul Haq report regarding Khatam-e-Nabuat bill amendments.

The TLP leader Maulana Khadim Hussain Rizvi told the local media that he or his party had nothing to do with the incident and the suspect was not associated with the TLP. He said that his party was peaceful and against the violence in politics.

The Narowal DC further stated in the report that the suspect was arrested along with the weapon that he used to attack the minister. Further, the motorcycle belonging to the accused was also taken into custody by the police. “Police is further investigating the matter,” the report concluded.

A senior police officer told a local newspaper that the accused had confessed to targeting the PML-N leader as an act of reprisal for his alleged role in amending the Khatm-e-Nubuwwat clause in the election bill.

The attacker, Abid Hussain, shot at the interior minister from a distance of 15 yards as he was leaving a corner meeting.

Abid Hussain, involved in the assassination attempt at the interior minister,  has told the police that Ahsan Iqbal was an easy target and belonged to his area. He admitted that he had bought the gun for Rs15,000 from a person in his area.

Joint Investigation Team (JIT)

The Punjab government constituted a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the attack on Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal. The JIT was reconstituted after an hour of its formation.

Iqbal, who was shot in the arm Sunday evening during a rally in his constituency Narowal, is currently under treatment in Lahore.

According to a notification issued by the Punjab Home Department, the new JIT  will be convened by Additional Inspector General Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Muhammad Tahir.

An earlier notification issued by the provincial police department today had stated that the DIG Investigation Waqas Nazeer would head the five-member JIT.

The JIT will include SSP Gujranwala Khalid Bashir Cheema, Counter Terrorism Team Gujranwala SP Faisal Gulzar Awan and one official each of the Intelligence Bureau and Inter-Services Intelligence. The Narowal district police officer had requested for the formation of a JIT in the case. 

FIR registered

An attempted murder case was registered against the suspect who shot and injured Ahsan Iqbal. The First Information Report (FIR) was lodged at the Ghareeb Shah police station and stated that the interior minister was leaving a corner meeting when he was fired upon with a 30-bore pistol by the accused Abid Hussain. 

A second suspect, Azeem, was also arrested by the police. Azeem, reportedly, accompanied the prime accused to the venue.

Medical Treatment

Ahsan Iqbal is currently under treatment in Lahore's Services Hospital. Federal Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after a successful surgery on Monday morning.

According to the medical superintendent Dr. Ameer, doctors had decided not to remove the bullet from Ahsan’s abdomen as the procedure could create complications. The bullet had fractured an elbow joint of the minister before burrowing into his abdomen, the doctor said.

The hospital has formed a five-member medical board to supervise the minister’s treatment.