ISLAMABAD – A two-decade-old report has cleared the misconception that thenew chief minister of Punjab was involved in a murder case that left sixpeople dead and multiple others injured.

An incident took place in 1998, whereafter a first information report (FIR)was filed and consequent court proceedings were held.

According to the investigation carried out at that time and the presentprobe, the person identified as Usman Buzdar — who was named as a suspectin the 1998 case — is not the same person who is now the chief minister ofPunjab. This was corroborated by the court rulings and a three-page policereport from two decades ago.

Reports had surfaced over the past few days, after the new CM was nominatedby Prime Minister Imran Khan, alleging that Buzdar and other members of hisfamily were involved in the murder of six people and had subsequently madea *diyat* payment — a local equivalent of blood money paid as compensationto the family of the deceased.

The concerning reports had caused a flurry of controversy and criticism forthe Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Khan-nominated chief ministerSardar Usman Buzdar. The party and Buzdar had both denied the allegations.