ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led ruling alliance decided on Tuesday to constitute a high-powered joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the attack on courts and law enforcement agencies deployed to secure the capital’s Judicial Complex when former prime minister and Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and former prime minister Imran Khan was due to appear in Toshakhana case on 18th March (Saturday).

According to a private TV channel, the decision to form a JIT to investigate violent attacks by the armed groups on the police and courts was taken a day after the ruling coalition decided to get tough on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and initiate legal action against the party, its leadership and workers for continuously challenging the writ of the state.

A summary has been prepared for formation of high-powered joint investigation team. The Interior Ministry will dispatch this summary to Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif for formal approval.

The JIT will be consisted of officers from the Interior Ministry, police and secret institutions. The JIT will present its investigation report within seven days and in the light of this report, the government will decide to go for further legal action on the matter.

On March 18, Islamabad Police lodged a first information report (FIR) against Imran Khan and more than a dozen PTI leaders for allegedly attacking police officers, destroying property, setting vehicles on fire and causing chaos in and outside the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC).

The clashes continued for hours when Imran arrived at the FJC to attend a hearing in the Toshakhana case. Surprising as it may seem, the judge had taken Imran’s attendance through a court official as the PTI chief was present at the FJC’s gate but could not attend court proceedings due to the protestors’ attack on the law enforcers.

Apart from taking legal action, a six-hour-long meeting of the parties, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in the federal government on March 18 also hinted at banning PTI as it claimed the party had become a terrorist outfit after its involvement in attacking state institutions including the army, judiciary and law-enforcement agencies.