Ali Bilal's death declared 'traffic accident', another case registered against Imran Khan

The death of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activist Ali Bilal alias Zille Shah has been declared a traffic accident by the authorities, while another case has been registered against PTI Chairman Imran Khan over charges of concealing evidence relating to Bilal's death, Geo News reported Monday.

In the case, provisions of a traffic accident, culpable homicide and concealment of evidence and facts have been added.

According to the police, the second case was registered at the Sarwar Road police station on the complaint of the investigating officer of the first case. The police registered the case on the statement of the accused who took Ali Bilal to the hospital.

According to the statement, Ali Bilal was hit by a speeding car while walking on the middle of the road, after which he was shifted to Services Hospital in an injured condition, but succumbed to his injuries.

Imran Khan and PTI leaders Yasmin Rashid and Fawad Chaudhry, among others, have been named in the FIR.

Meanwhile, the PTI claims Ali Bilal died due to police violence after law enforcers launched a crackdown on PTI workers and supporters protesting near Imran Khan's residence in Zaman Park last week. PTI had announced a rally from Zaman Park to Data Darbar to mark the launch of its election campaign. 

In the preliminary post-mortem report, the cause of Ali Bilal's death was revealed as violence, while the police had also released photographs of the people leaving the hospital. Later, Bilal was taken into custody after leaving the hospital.

According to sources, an investigation team also seized the vehicle that brought Ali Bilal and Umar and Jahanzeb are among the detained suspects.

Punjab CM refutes PTI 'propaganda'

Refuting PTI's claims of its worker’s death due to police torture, interim Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi had said on Saturday that Bilal died in a car accident.

He had added that PTI Punjab wing leader Raja Shakeel — the owner of the vehicle in which Bilal’s body was brought to the Services Hospital — informed Yasmin Rashid that a man has been hit by a vehicle.

“We received information that the man didn’t die due to torture after which the police immediately began working on the matter,” he had said during a presser in Lahore detailing the circumstances under which the PTI worker died following a standoff between the party's workers and police.

He had said that Yasmin then went to Zaman Park and told Shakeel not to worry and communicated the entire incident to other party leaders after which she sent Shakeel back from Zaman Park. "The driver of the car also changed his appearance by shaving the beard off," he added.

He had added that all the evidence will first be taken to Bilal's family. "His father was also offered money to stand his ground, however, he knew that it wasn't right," he added.

CM Naqvi had also said that the Punjab government will financially help the family.

IG Punjab rubbishes PTI's "social media propaganda"

Flanked by the CM, Inspector General Punjab Dr Usman Anwar had also rubbished the party's "social media propaganda" that the worker was killed in police custody.

He had added that the police immediately began backtracking the vehicle as soon as they received the information. The IG had added that Ali’s blood was found in the vehicle following its recovery through forensics.

He said that the deceased PTI worker’s father Liaquat Ali has appealed for an investigation into his son’s death. “The Punjab Police will share the investigation with [Ali’s] father. We promise to present all the evidence to Zille Shah’s father.”

“Action will be taken if evidence of police torture is found,” the IG assured.

What had happened?

Not long after the PTI's rally to launch its election campaign was called off following clashes between the party's workers and the police, graphic images of Ali's body began circulating on social media.

The PTI worker died on the day the Punjab Home Department had imposed Section 144 in Lahore citing serious security threats for seven days. The clashes between the police and PTI workers occurred as the former attempted to disrupt their gathering at Imran Khan's Zaman Park residence.

Following the PTI worker’s death, “Zille Shah”, “Ali Bilal” and "Black Vigo” began trending on Twitter and other social media platforms, while horrid details of Bilal’s death began surfacing.

A CCTV footage of a private 4X4 vehicle also emerged in which two men — in plain clothes — were seen dropping the slain worker at a hospital in Lahore where he was pronounced dead.

According to the post-mortem report, the victim had 26 marks of torture on his body. The police, in the wake of the incident, formed an inquiry committee to probe Ali’s death.

Meanwhile, the PTI also filed a request seeking the registration of a first information report (FIR) against caretaker CM Punjab, Minister for Interior Rana Sananullah for Ali's death.

On the other hand, Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Bilal Siddique Kamiyana and sub-Inspector Rehan were named in an application submitted by Ali’s father.

Cover-up

Reacting to the presser held by CM Naqvi and IG Punjab, PTI — taking to its Twitter — wrote that the “people in power think that they'll get away with the killing of Zill e Shah”.

The party had stated that there will be justice one day.

“What they don't understand is that there is a Super Power above them & He is watching everything and IA Insaf Hoga, aaj nahi tou Kal! They will die an even more painful death,” the party tweeted.

PTI Senior Vice-President Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that the provincial government has covered up Arshad Sharif’s killing, the assassination attack on Imran Khan, and is now covering up the murder of Zille Shah. “There is neither shame nor modesty,” the politician wrote.

PTI leader Hammad Azhar said that Ali Bilal’s post-mortem and the police’s complaint naming Imran Khan and his associates in the case of the worker’s murder is the “biggest proof” of the interim chief minister’s “lie”.

“This is now an attempt of a third cover-up. Consider Arshad Sharif’s murder, the attack on Imran Khan, and Ali Bilal’s killing — what kind of stories have been concocted?”