Muhammad Omar
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The senior leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) falsely’ claimed that a mentally-challenged person, who committed suicide in Peshawar last month, was a party worker and died of police shelling in Swabi on Monday.
Clashes had erupted between PTI workers and law enforcers on Monday as activists attempted to remove blockades from Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway in a bid to reach Bani Gala — party chief Imran Khan’s residence in Islamabad, to take part in the party’s November 2 ‘Islamabad siege’.
Party leaders claimed Inamullah was killed by police shelling of ‘expired’ teargas shells being fired on party workers during clashes with Punjab police at Swabi and Burhan interchanges on Peshawar-Islamabad motorway.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Shuakat Yousafzai told a section of media that two PTI workers had died of police shelling.
PTI regional leader and provincial lawmaker Shah Farman told The Express Tribune on Tuesday that two workers had died of police shelling. He upheld that Inamullah, a resident of Tehkal in Peshawar, succumbed to his injuries in a hospital while another was found dead in bushes near Swabi.
However, The Express Tribune reached the house of deceased Inamaullah in Daudzai village of Tehkal Payan and learnt that he was a schizophrenic patient and had committed suicide.
“Inam had been suffering from a mental illness since 2005 and committed suicide on October 31 at around 10am in the morning,” a family member told The Express Tribune, requesting anonymity. “We rushed him [Inam] to Khyber Teaching Hospital but he died on his way to the facility.”
The death certificate issued by the hospital, a copy of which is available with this newspaper, stated: “The person has been received dead with flat ECG to the hospital.”
The hospital discharge a receipt stating the patient was suffering from schizophrenia since 2005 and his last checkup was conducted on September 9, and was advised to consult a doctor once every month.
The family member clarified that neither Inamullah had any affiliation with the PTI nor did he attend the party’s protest in Swabi. “We don’t even know what people are doing in Swabi, and their plan of marching towards Islamabad.”
A police official in Tehkal police station also endorsed the family member’s claim.
Meanwhile, the claim of another ‘worker’s death’ could not be confirmed by independent sources.
PTI stance
It is to regret contradictions in the figure supplied about the death of PTI workers from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) during Monday night scuffle with police at Swabi and Burhan, a statement issued by the party said.
“The error caused due to our inevitably heavy reliance over the media reporting. Our party after scrutinising the events is confirming that no human life was lost in the conflict. We therefore urge you [media] to stand corrected,” the communique added.
