Attackers wanted to ‘slit my throat’: Rauf

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: After surviving a horrific attack in Islamabad earlier this week, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Information Secretary Rauf Hasan on Wednesday claimed that the attackers wanted to “slit” his throat.

The senior politician, while addressing a press conference at the party’s secretariat in Islamabad alongside PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan and senior leader Azam Swati, said his party’s opponents failed to eliminate the Imran-founded party despite using all tactics. He broke down in tears while saying that his party colleagues faced much worse scenarios compared to what he suffered.

Hasan claimed that the same people “threatened me three days ago and warned me that they are chasing me”. He added that he rejected the First Information Report (FIR) lodged by the police department after the attack. He censured the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government yet again and alleged that “a party has been given the rulership” which bowed down before the power centres.

The injured PTI spokesperson added that the opponents failed to establish any strong narrative against the former ruling party. He vowed that PTI leaders would never bow down before anyone at any cost. Pointing towards the incarcerated party founder Imran Khan, Hasan said that the incumbent rulers would soon realise the necessity to hold talks with the individual who is kept at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.

For his part, Omar condemned the brutal attack on Hasan and called it an “assassination bid”. He said the party rejected the FIR which was “a police attempt to weaken the case”. He demanded the constitution of a judicial commission to probe the attack on the PTI spokesperson. Responding to Hasan’s statement, Islamabad police rejected the injured politician’s objections to the FIR.

The Islamabad police spokesperson said in a statement today that the content of FIR was based on a written request submitted by the wounded politician which was received with his signature and thumb impression in the presence of his legal team. The federal capital’s police asked Hasan to prove the contradictions in the FIR’s content and his written application as the “case was registered under sections in accordance with the charges”.

In another development on Wednesday, the federal government has formed a committee to investigate the attack on PTI’s Hasan after registration of an FIR with charges of murder and attempted murder. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar confirmed the development today. Meanwhile, a police investigation team has also been appointed.

The law minister termed the attack on the senior politician “regrettable and sad”, stating that such attacks should not happen. A group of around four people, apparently transgender persons, attacked and injured the PTI spokesperson in Islamabad earlier this week, drawing strong condemnation from his party. However, it remains unclear why the politician was attacked by transpersons. In a video shared along with the statement by the PTI, Hasan could be heard asking people to call the doctor, with injuries and blood seen on his face as he walked into a building.