On Thursday, former SAPM Dr. Shahbaz Gill and three other people sustained injuries when a speeding vehicle struck his car near the Khanqah Dogran interchange, Sheikhupura.
Friday, Shahbaz Gill, donning a neck brace and an arm sling, added that he had given his lawyers the names and phone numbers of seven people who wanted to get him killed and threatened him over the phone.
“Shehbaz Sharif sahab, along with Rana Sanaullah and other friends, must be involved in this accident,” Gill told reporters outside the Islamabad High Court as he described the circumstances of the incident.
Gill said they should be held responsible if any harm came to him or former prime minister Imran Khan.
میں کہیں نہیں بھاگا، پاکستان اور عمران خان کیساتھ کھڑا ہوں۔ چاہے میری جان بھی لے لیں عمران خان کے ساتھ کھڑا رہوں گا۔@SHABAZGIL #امپورٹڈ__حکومت__نامنظور pic.twitter.com/g1mDknEiV7
— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 6, 2022
Man who hit Shahbaz Gill’s car arrested
According to Geo News, the driver who hit PTI leader Dr. Shahbaz Gill’s car on a motorway has been arrested.
Ruling out Gill’s allegation of a “planned attempt to target” him, Police added that the incident took place due to the negligence of Wajahat Ali.
They said the car was rented out by the owner, Tahir Nazeer, a resident of Muridke, to Wajahat Ali, who was driving the vehicle.
The driver told the Police that he stopped first but fled in fear after seeing Gill coming out of the car.
“Gill tried to paint the incident as a murder attempt and did propaganda. After the driver’s interrogation and investigation of the crash site it can be concluded that it was an accident,” Police said.
Read more: Man who hit Shahbaz Gill’s car arrested
The Muridke police further said that Wajahat Ali was being handed over to Hafizabad police for further investigation.
“Today, a man has come forward donning a t-shirt and tracksuit. He has a particular style of mustache, you will see one kind of Gullu Butt every time,” he said, alluding to Shahid Aziz, the infamous baton-wielding man who was caught vandalising property during violence in Lahore’s Model Town in 2014. Gill said, “His face, which I have seen on the media, is similar to that of the Gullu Butt.”
“It’s the same story,” he said, predicting that “you will see that his documents will be complete, and he will get bail in around a month.”
A murder attempt
In a tweet following the incident, Gill said the car crash was “a murder attempt” on him.
“I want to tell those who attacked me, I am alive because of the Almighty and the prayers of my people. My car was chased and deliberately hit. This was done under a plan.”
مجھ پر قاتلانہ حملہ کروانے والوں کو بتانا چاہتا ہوں۔ اپنے مولا اور قوم کی دعاؤں کی وجہ سے زندہ ہوں۔ میری گاڑی کا پیچھا کر کے جان بوجھ کر ہٹ کیا گیا۔یہ ایک منصوبے کے تحت کیا گیا
میں نے کل ہی کہا تھا کہ کیا زیادہ سے زیادہ آپ ہمیں قتل کروا دیں گے ؟ کروا لیں۔ غداری نہیں کروں گا۔
— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) May 5, 2022
He recalled his statement from yesterday, saying: “I had said just a day ago that the most you could do is to get us killed. Do it. But, I will not betray my cause.”
The PTI leader said the “local handlers,” who, according to him, were part of a foreign conspiracy to topple the PTI government, knew that Imran Khan and his associates would not keep mum. “They will make all attempts to silence us.”
Gill said he stood with Imran and would remain with him and claimed the same elements would also “attack” Imran.
“God willing, we will expose everyone,” he said.
Read more: Government wants to turn us into beggars: Shahbaz Gill