Joint inquiry team formed to investigate Bahawalnagar incident: ISPR

Pakistan military’s media affairs wing Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Friday said that a joint inquiry comprising security and police officials would be conducted to ascertain the facts and apportion responsibility for the unfortunate incident in Bahawalnagar.

“An unfortunate incident occurred in Bahawalnagar recently, which was promptly addressed and resolved through collaborative efforts of military and police authorities. Despite this, certain factions with vested motives started fanning vitriolic propaganda on social media to create divisions between state institutions and government departments,” the ISPR said.

“To ensure a fair and deliberate inquiry, and to determine responsibility for violation of laws and misuse of authority, a joint inquiry comprising security and police officials will be conducted for ascertaining the facts and apportioning responsibility,” it said.

The incident, which garnered widespread attention after videos depicting individuals in army uniforms purportedly assaulting police officials circulated on social media, sparked outrage among citizens and politicians alike.

Subsequently, the Punjab Police had decried “fake propaganda”. “This matter in Bahawalnagar, which went viral on social media, has been taken out of context and exaggerated,” the police said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.

Clarifying the situation, the police asserted that the incident had been misrepresented and blown out of proportion. They stressed that upon the emergence of unverified videos, both the military and police promptly launched a joint investigation, which led to the peaceful resolution of the matter.

Refuting claims of conflict between the Pakistan Army and Punjab Police personnel, the police emphasised the ongoing cooperation between the two entities in combating terrorism and crime within the province. They urged social media users to refrain from spreading misinformation and falsehoods.

Although details regarding the exact cause of the altercation were not provided by the provincial police, it was confirmed that senior officers from both sides facilitated a peace agreement between the involved parties.

Punjab government forms joint inquiry team

Meanwhile, the Punjab government has also formed a joint inquiry team to investigate the Bahawalnagar tragedy, said a handout released by DGPR.

The spokesperson of the Punjab government said that the Bahawalnagar incident is unfortunate and the Punjab government has formed a joint inquiry team with the Home Department and other security agencies to find out the facts of the incident and determine the responsibility.

The spokesperson said that vested interests will not be allowed to spread propaganda against the spirit of unity and cooperation existing among all forces serving Pakistan.