FAISALABAD: PML-N parliamentarians will meet Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for the formation of a joint investigation team to grill a gang of target killers and detect the hidden hands using them to kill veteran politicians and other people in Faisalabad.

The parliamentarians have also signed an application to be sent to the chief minister with a request for an immediate meeting. Sources said all parliamentarians had unanimously decided in the meeting to approach the chief minister to expedite the issue as parliamentarians whose names had been disclosed by the arrested target killers were much threatened.

They said City Police Officer Sohail Habib Tajik had a few days back convened a meeting of parliamentarians to discuss the law and order issue.

The parliamentarians asked the CPO that the chief minister had announced formation of the JIT during his visit to Faisalabad on May 5. State Minister for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali had asked the CM to form a JIT with ISI, IB and other agencies as its members.

Police had arrested an active shooter of the gang identified as Ali Commando of Wazirabad. During investigation, the shooter confessed to have killed 19 people, including Bhola Gujjar, a close friend of former law minister Rana Sanaullah.

MNA Dr Nisar said they would not remain silent over the presence of a target killers` gang in the district who wanted to kill parliamentarians and some politicians.

`It is not enough that police have detected a gang of shooters. We want to expose the face (s) and know the reasons as to why the gang is hell-bent on killing parliamentarians and politicians of Faisalabad,` he said.

He said the parliamentarians had clearly asked the CPO that mere arrest of a shooter was not enough. The police must tell them about the handler of this gang, he added.

`I will tender my resignation if the government fails to expose the hidden hands,` MNA Dr Nisar said.

The CPO had in a press conference about a week back said that Ali Commando had confessed to have killed 19 people, including Bhola Gujjar, Rana Zeeshan, a supporter of Rana Sana. Bhola Gujjar was gunned down in January last and Rana Zeeshan in December.

He said the gang comprised policemen and led by former SHO Farrukh Waheed. The other gang members are: former union council nazim Anjum Niaz, constables Tahir and Najibullah, Faisal alias Jappa, Jehangir alias Jugnu, Nafees alias Goga, Mian Ayaz, Farhan and Asif alias Noni Butt. While Farrukh Waheed and six other shooters of the gang are still at large. Requesting anonymity, another parliamentarian said the CPO had called them to discuss the law and order situation.

He said how one could give any suitable advice about improving law and order when one was facing life threats.

He said it was very much clear that members of the target killers were freely roaming in Faisalabad and could hit any parliamentarian at any time. He said it was praiseworthy that the CPO and Regional Police Officer Ahsan Tufail had traced the gang involved in the killing of several people.

However, both officers were facing a tough time as some hidden hands wanted to hush-up the issue, he claimed.

He said some politicians and hidden hands in police were trying to stop the formation of the JIT for fear of being exposed.Mohammad Saleem