ISLAMABAD: An inquiry commission established to investigate the 2017 Faizabad sit-in has called upon Shehbaz Sharif, the President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and former Prime Minister, to appear on January 3rd.
He has been summoned in his capacity as the former Punjab chief minister to provide his account regarding the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) protest staged against the then PML-N-led government in November 2017.
Last year, in November, the interim federal government formed the inquiry commission to adhere to the directives of the 2019 Faizabad verdict issued by the Supreme Court. The commission, led by retired IGP Akhtar Ali Shah, was established after the Supreme Court dismissed the government’s fact-finding committee report.
Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa had earlier stated that the commission holds the authority to summon individuals, including former army chiefs, prime ministers, and chief justices.
The inquiry commission is mandated to present its findings to the Supreme Court by January 22.
Previously, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, Fawad Hasan Fawad (the former secretary to PM), and other high-ranking officials from Islamabad and Punjab who were involved in the incident had appeared before the commission.
However, former Director General (DG) of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lt General (retd) Faiz Hamid, once again did not attend the Faizabad Dharna Inquiry Commission (FDIC) hearing last month.
This marks the second instance of his absence, despite being summoned in mid-December and subsequently on December 29.
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)
