ISLAMABAD - Some four days after former Law Minister Punjab and senior PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah Khan refuted allegations of having any involvement in the killing of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) worker in Faisalabad, PTI Saturday, while showing video as well as photographic evidence about involvement of PML-N local leaders in Faisalabad violence on December 8, demanded arrest of Rana Sanaullah.
“If PML-N wants to disown itself from Faisalabad violence (during PTI’s protest on last Monday), it should immediately arrest Rana Sanaullah,” Central Information Secretary PTI Dr Shireen Mazari said in a press conference along with Farruk Habib, PTI candidate for National Assembly seat from Faisalabad. “If PML-N wants to disown militancy and violence, it would have to arrest Rana Sanaullah as he has links with the Faisalabad violence,” she stressed. “We are showing videos and photographs to prove that Rana Sanaullah was involved in the entire violence and the whole episode was planned by PML-N local leadership headed by former Punjab law minister,” PTI Secretary Information Dr Shireen Mazari said after showing videos and pictures depicting involvement of PML-N local leaders in the violent clashes with PTI workers in Faisalabad. Dr Mazari also showed pictures of PML-N local leaders along with Rana Sanaullah what she said that some of these were taken at the Circuit House of Faisalabad before December 8 after a meeting that planned the whole violence operation.
While showing videos and photographs, Furrukh Habib pointed out various PML-N leaders pelting stones at PTI workers and giving instructions to the alleged shooter that was grabbed by TV channels on December 8 while firing at the protestors. Habib pointed out Rana Shaheryar, son-in-law of Rana Sanaullah, Attique Ansari, Mian Ayaz, major financier of PML-N in the city, Jamal Dogar, Sheikh Qaiser, Imtiaz Siraj, Nadeem Mughal, Parvez Jutt, Akram Awan, Sheikh Pinnu, Sheikh Qaiser , Shehzad Takkar and Azam Gilani allegedly pelting stones at the PTI workers. Some of them were shown taking part in the PML-N meetings. He rejected the claim of Rana Sanaullah that these local leaders were not involved in the violence and they had no link with the shooter.
Dr Mazari demanded that former law minister Punjab should be immediately arrested as investigations into the violence and killing of his party worker Haq Nawaz could not be held independently unless Rana Sanaullah would send behind bars. He said that the bureaucracy of Faisalabad, including District Coordination Officer (DCO) Mangal and other police officers should be suspended and an independent inquiry should be held against them.
Furrukh Habib also pointed out in the videos the local PML-N leaders, including Pervaiz Jutt and Mirza Malik were instructing the alleged shooter. Earlier, Rana Sanaullah Khan in a press conference had denied having any links with the shooter. He said that it was a question mark that who brought the police on the muted mode during these clashes. “No action was taken after the Model Town incident,” Mazari pointed out, saying Rana Sanauallh was merely removed from his office but no action was taken against him. “Rana Sanaullah has links with banned organisations, has his own militant force and has links with the release of CIA agent Raymond Davis,” she added.
Talks not delayed: Dr Mazari while responding questions of reporters said that talks of PTI with the government had not delayed and these would go ahead as these were concerned with the rigging in general elections and not linked with Faisalabad violence. “We will have to hold dialogue with the government as it was only the government who could form judicial commission,” she said, adding that PTI could call off its countrywide strike on December 18 if the judicial commission was formed before this date. She said that it had already been agreed that the commission would be formed through a presidential ordinance whose findings would be inquisitorial. “But I want to clarify that PTI had not withdrawn its demand of resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif rather only suspended its demand.”
 and we will celebrate New Year along with the media if the government did not agree on the formation of the judicial commission. She stressed that PTI would go ahead with its protest plan in the big cities unless judicial commission was formed.
The PTI Central Information Secretary said that preliminary round of talks would be held between Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal and PTI leader Asad Umer today (Sunday) and then there would a meeting between the two committees on Tuesday (December 16). An officer-bearer of the PTI Media Wing informed The Nation that one of the members of PTI team Shah Mahmood Qureshi was busy in connection with party’s announced protest in Lahore on December 15 and actual talks would start after Monday.
Responding to another question, Dr Mazari said that they would engage in talks with the government only if it was serious and not trying to buy time. “There is trust deficit and the government would have to prove its seriousness through its action,” she added.