- Police arrest the main suspect in the attack on the Lahore Corps Commander House, Khadija Shah.
LAHORE: The Punjab police announced on Tuesday that they have apprehended Khadija Shah, the prime suspect in the attack on the Lahore Corps Commander House. Despite the arrest of her husband and other family members, the PTI supporter had evaded surrendering herself to the authorities, despite earlier claims that she would willingly present herself.
The assault on the house took place on May 9 when members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) stormed the premises and set it ablaze following the arrest of party chairman Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.
In a recent audio message lasting over 16 minutes, Shah acknowledged her affiliation with the PTI and her participation in the protest outside the Lahore Corps Commander’s House. However, she denied any wrongdoing or incitement to violence.
Shah is the daughter of Dr. Salman Shah, a former member of President Pervez Musharraf’s finance team, and had served as an advisor in the Punjab government during Usman Buzdar’s tenure as chief minister. She also happens to be the granddaughter of a former army chief. Furthermore, Punjab Interim Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi made a resolute statement last week, declaring that the women implicated in the assaults on military installations on May 9 would be apprehended regardless of the expenses involved. The army and the federal government have likewise pledged to prosecute all individuals involved in the assaults under the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secrets Act.
In the aftermath of the attacks, thousands of PTI workers have been rounded up nationwide, and several party leaders have distanced themselves from the party due to the events on May 9.
In her released voice note on Sunday, Shah expressed her intention to surrender to the police and admitted her mistake. She acknowledged making “inappropriate” tweets against military leadership out of anger and emotion, but stated that those tweets had since been deleted.
“I have chosen to turn myself in to the police as the past five days have been incredibly challenging,” she expressed. Shah further claimed that authorities forcibly entered her house at midnight, abducted her husband and father, and subjected them to mistreatment in front of their children. She also alleged that her domestic workers had been subjected to torture.
Shah maintained that she had not violated any laws or the country’s constitution, emphasizing her participation in various PTI protests over the past year. Additionally, she disclosed her dual citizenship status and hinted at seeking assistance from the embassy, although she did not provide further details on the matter.
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