ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on Thursday postponed the announcement of its verdict earlier reserved in an application seeking the acquittal of Prime Minister Imran Khan in a case related to the 2014 mob attacks on Parliament House and Pakistan Television building during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) sit-in.
ATC Judge Raja Javad Abbas remarked that several other persons had filed their applications seeking acquittal in the same case, and it was not possible to announce the verdict just for the prime minister while leaving others.
The judge further stated that other accused persons including PTI leaders Ejaz Chaudhry, Federal Minister Asad Umar, and Jahangir Khan Tareen have withdrawn their applications, and even arrest warrants were issued for several accused individuals in their absence.
“This case pertains to hundreds of [political] workers and many of them are being represented by Faisal Chaudhry,” he added.
To these remarks, PM Imran’s counsel Babar Awan pleaded the court to hear arguments on behalf of those persons who were appearing in the courtroom for their acquittal.
In the previous hearing, government lawyer Chaudhry Shafqaat did not object to the acquittal of the premier in the case, and subsequently the court reserved its verdict.
“We have no objection if [prime minister] Imran Khan is acquitted in the case,” Shafqaat had said, adding: “These cases are made on a political basis. Nothing will come of these cases, only the court’s time will be wasted.”
Defense counsel had also presented arguments in favour of the application and said that terrorism provisions could not be added for a speech made during the sit-in or for opposing Section 144 of the criminal procedure code (CrPC).
