IHC directs Imran Khan to participate in terror case investigation
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The Islamabad High Court has directed Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan to cooperate in the investigation of a terrorism case filed against him for hurling threats at a female additional sessions judge, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
A division bench of IHC headed by Chief Justice Athar Minallah and comprising Justice Saman Riffat on Tuesday heard the petition filed by Imran Khan seeking dismissal of a terrorism case against him.
During the case hearing, Chief Justice Minallah remarked that if a case was registered against somebody then he should participate in its investigation. When an investigation officer sends a notice, then it must be remembered that the IO is state unto himself and if the uniformed officers err somehow, the court still respect them, the CJ added.
The chief justice directed Imran to appear before the IO, if the latter had sent him notice.
Imran’s counsel Salman Safdar told the court that after including terrorism clauses in the FIR against him, other clauses too were inserted later.
He contended that the case against Imran was based on mala fide intention.
Salman Safdar and Faisal Chaudhry appeared before the court on behalf of Imran Khan while Islamabad Advocate General Barrister Jehangir Jadoon represented the federal government.
The court asked Imran’s lawyer why he submitted the miscellaneous petition to the court. Then the court asked the AG why he did not submit the challan report.
On this, the AG told the court that Imran did not join the investigation.
The CJ inquired whether the IO went to grill Imran. The AG replied that the IO was not allowed to meet the PTI chief nor did Imran respond to the IO’s notice regarding joining the investigation.
The chief justice then ordered Imran to join investigation. He remarked that if somebody stopped the course of law then the law would make its own course.
He then directed the investigation officer if nobody cooperated with him, then he should present his report next week. He also asked him to tell the court whether the terrorism clause applied in this case or not during next hearing.
“This is a test case for the investigation officer, and in case there is any offence which has been mistakenly added, he should remove it himself,” the CJ remarked.
Justice Minallah remarked that we should have trust in the system of state. He said that rule of law would establish only when everyone would act upon it.
The CJ, however, stopped police from submitting challan.
Following the arguments, the court directed the police to submit a report first in the case before it filed a challan in the ATC.
The bench then adjourned the hearing till September 15.
The former prime minister was booked in a terrorism case for his controversial remarks about a female judge Zeba Chaudhry at a rally in Islamabad on Aug 20 while a separate first information report (FIR) was registered against him on charges of violating Section 144 (ban on public gatherings exceeding four persons) in the capital on the day of the rally.
The FIR was registered on the complaint of magistrate Ali Javed at Islamabad's Margalla Police Station under Section 7 of ATA.
Following this, Imran Khan managed to secure transit bail till August 25 from the IHC but was asked to approach the ATC as it was the relevant forum. Then, the trial court extended the interim bail of the PTI chief till September 12 in the terrorism case.
Reporter Ehtisham Kiyani