PTI chief appears before JIT, records statement

ISLAMABAD: PTI Chairman Imran Khan Sunday appeared before two joint investigation agencies (JITs) to record his statement in 12 cases registered at different police stations under PPC, ATA and MPO.

Two JITs, headed by SSP Yasir Afridi and SP Rukhsar Mehdi, put more than 25 questions to Imran while recording his statement.

In his statement, Imran, a former prime minister, affirmed, “I have no abhorrence of Pakistan and the national institutions. I respect the Pakistan Army, martyrs, Ghazis and monuments of martyrs from the core of my heart.” Sources confided to this reporter that Imran had openly condemned the May 9 incident but said: “The PTI workers or I have nothing to do with the May 9 occurrence.” He claimed it was a conspiracy against him and his party.

“I will never accept responsibility for the occurrence because the conspiracy has been hatched by the government and law enforcement agencies engaged in entrapping me and the party in legal clutches,” he maintained.

Responding to a question, Imran said he observed tyranny from the government quarters when they attempted to assassinate him on 25th May last year.

“I do not agree to the assertion that the PTI workers were involved in 9th May episode because I have proof of conspiracy linked to the occurrence,” he repeatedly averred while responding to the JIT questions.

“They are trying to eliminate me from politics but they can’t triumph in their design,” Imran concluded.

Imran appeared before the two JITs constituted under the supervision of DIG (Operations) to investigate 12 cases lodged against him and to record his statement with regard to the criminal cases registered under the PPC, Anti-Terrorist Act (ATA) and Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).

The former PM recorded his statements in seven cases (4 registered under ATA offences with the CTD police and three with different police stations). However, he refused to respond to the questions in the remaining five cases, saying he was not prepared to record his statements in the residual cases.

Investigators said the accused had earlier avoided appearing before the JIT for investigation. The sources said 12 notices were served on the former premier, including seven issued by the CTD and six by JIT but he never responded to the notices. However, two final notices were served on him with the warning that legal action would be taken if he avoided appearing on July 9 at the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Complex in G/11-4 at 2:00pm.

The JIT sources, when contacted, said Imran was asked to record his statement in 12 cases registered with different police stations under PPC, ATA and MPO.