ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad Monday extended the interim bail of PTI Chairman Imran Khan till September 20 in a terrorism case filed against him for threatening Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry during a public rally on August 20.
At the outset of today’s hearing, Babar Awan, Imran Khan’s counsel pleaded with the Islamabad ATC Judge Raja Jawad Abbas to allow Imran Khan’s vehicle to enter the Federal Judicial Complex.
“If you had told us this earlier, we would have given permission,” the judge replied and asked if Imran Khan had joined the investigations. The counsel replied that Khan has joined the investigations via his lawyer.
“IHC has issued notice on the plea seeking dismissal of the case,” Khan’s lawyer noted and accused police of misleading the high court claiming that Khan was not cooperation in the investigations.
The former prime minister has not appeared before a joint investigation team formed by the Islamabad Police to probe the matter despite three notices.
The PTI moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) where Khan managed to secure a transit bail till August 25, but was asked to approach the ATC as the case was terrorism-related.
Meanwhile, the investigation officer informed the court that he received Khan's statement through a lawyer, at which the PTI chair was asked to appear in person.
"The statement was sent to you but you didn't make it a part of the case," judge Raja Jawad Abbas criticised the IO, saying that doing so shows his ill intentions.
The court remarked that the offence in question is a matter related to Imran Khan's speech.
"Why do you want the accused to appear in person," the judge asked.
At this, the assistant prosecutor maintained that they have to interrogate the accused.
"The accused must appear if he has been summoned by the IO," he said.
The court then adjourned the hearing till 11am, saying that the rest of the arguments will be heard after Imran Khan appears in court.
Babar Awan apprised the court that his client’s written statement was not brought on the record and warned the police officials that the court has the right to punish them for poor investigations.
He asked, “Why did they not mention in the supplementary challan that the suspect’s lawyer had submitted his client’s written statement?
On his part, the special prosecutor said that the investigation officer or the JIT has to decide the course of investigations.
Meanwhile, the court adjourned the hearing till 2 pm on September 20. The judge ordered the concerned authority to put the security measures in place just before the hearing for the convenience of the people visiting the court.
Speaking to journalists after appearing in the ATC, Imran Khan criticised the federal government for subjecting detained PTI leader Shahbaz Gill to “severe torture” in custody.
“All types of torture were inflicted on a university professor who is neither a terrorist nor a murderer,” he added.
Moving on to the courts, the former prime minister said that he [Gill] was again handed over to the people who had earlier tortured him.
Referring to his August 20 statement, Khan asked if someone says that he will take legal action against those who gave remand despite the torture, is this terrorism?
“If it is terrorism then they can label anyone as a terrorist,” he added.
They are making fun of anti-terrorism law and the country, Khan said, adding that international media made headlines that a terrorism case had been filed against him.
The government booked him in a terrorism case when he spoke of legal action, Khan added.
The former prime minister said that it is an insult to Pakistan and the anti-terrorism law.
The FIR registered against Khan states that he threatened Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry and police officers at a rally in F-9 Park to “terrorise” police officials and the judiciary.
The main aim was to prevent the police officers and judiciary from carrying out their legal obligations, states the FIR.
The FIR was registered on the complaint of Magistrate Ali Javed in Islamabad's Margalla Police Station under Section 7 of ATA.
At a rally at the F-9 park in Islamabad, Khan warned that he would “not spare” Islamabad's inspector-general, deputy inspector general, and the female magistrate, vowing to file cases against them for "torturing" Gill.
“We will not spare the IG and DIG,” he said, while addressing the gathering.
The former prime minister called out the sessions judge, who had approved Gill’s two-day physical remand at the request of the capital police, and said she, too, should "prepare" as a case will also be registered against her.
The PTI chief led the rally in Islamabad from Zero Point to F-9 Park in support of incarcerated leader Gill, who the party claims was subjected to “gruesome torture” in police custody.
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