Police arrest ex-CDA officer for threatening SC

ISLAMABAD: The capital police Thursday arrested former CDA officer Mustafain Kazmi on the charge of threatening the Supreme Court during the hearing of a case on Wednesday.

The incident took place when a five-member bench of the Supreme Court was hearing a review petition against its judgment on the defection clause of Article 63A of the Constitution.

The retired CDA officer came to the rostrum and claimed that he was pleading the PTI case.

The chief justice instructed him to sit down but he refused. At this, the chief justice warned that if he did not obey the court orders, then the police would be called in to take him out. At this, Kazmi threatened, “Over 500 lawyers are picketing outside the court and they will see how you issue a decision against them.” Meanwhile, in a large-scale operation, the federal capital police have initiated a crackdown and booked over 120 individuals under the Anti-Terrorism Act (7 ATA and 11(X) and the Pakistan Penal Code.

The FIR, registered at the Secretariat Police Station, alleges that these individuals, armed with sticks and flags, reached the Supreme Court building, blocked roads and chanted slogans against the judiciary. The group is accused of mocking key judicial figures, burning effigies, issuing threats and refusing to comply with court rulings, vowing to disrupt the functioning of the courts.

Additionally, they are charged with resisting law enforcement and instilling fear among the public and judiciary. The lawyers and leaders of PTI have been booked under 7 Anti-Terrorist Act (ATA), 11 (X) ATA, Section 8 of the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024, 506 II of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), 186/188/353 and 341 PPC. The crackdown marks an intensification of police efforts to curb PTI’s activities following their protests against judicial decisions.