IHC rejects plea seeking treason case against Imran Khan
CJ remarks it’s state responsibility to investigate threat letter: Says it’s a sensitive issue, should not be politicized
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The Islamabad high Court has rejected the petition seeking to put former prime minister Imran Khan’s name on Exit Control List and order for starting treason case proceedings against him over threat letter issue, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
The court while rejecting the plea, also imposed a fine of Rs100,000 on the petitioner for submitting a frivolous petition.
Earlier, the Islamabad High Court reserved judgement on the maintainability of the petition.
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah on Monday heard the petition, filed by Maulvi Iqbal Haider, in which it was prayed to the court to put the names of former prime minister, former federal ministers namely, Fawad Chaudhry, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Suri and Pakistani diplomat Asad Majeed on the ECL and order for initiating proceedings of a treason case by a trial court against them unless the ‘lettergate’ issue was investigated.
Giving his arguments, lawyer Maulvi Iqbal Haider said that the alleged letter caused harm to our ties with America. He further told the court that proceedings of treason case had been started against former president Pervez Musharraf on his petition.
The chief justice expressed his annoyance and said: “Do not compare Imran Khan with Musharraf as Imran was an elected prime minister. It is state’s responsibility to investigate the letter, not that of court’s. Why have you come to the court?”
On this, the lawyer said it was not a letter, it was just a cable.
CJ Minallah asked the lawyer what was the difference between a letter and a cable. “It’s a sensitive issue, why do you want to politicize the issue,” the judge said.
The chief justice asked Iqbal Haider what was his plea.
The lawyer said that the interior secretary was bound to investigate the threat letter which the former premier claimed it was about toppling of his government.
The lawyer pleaded with the court to order for sending the complaint to trial court asking it to start treason case against the relevant persons.
Reporter Ehtisham Kiyani