Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court ordered to drop the terrorism charge against Chairman PTI Imran Khan in the woman judge intimidation case.
Earlier, a 2-member bench headed by Chief Justice Athar Minullah heard the request to dismiss the terrorism case against former Prime Minister Imran Khan for threatening female magistrate Zeba Chaudhry and senior police officers in the Islamabad High Court today. Later the decision was reserved which was pronounced after some time.
According to the decision, the proceedings against the former prime minister will continue in the relevant forum on other provisions except anti-terrorism.
Imran Khan’s lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar, Police Prosecutor Raja Rizwan Abbasi and Police Investigation Officer appeared in the court today for the hearing.
In the previous hearing, the court had sought a report from the JIT till the next hearing on the request to dismiss the terrorism case against Imran Khan.
At the beginning of today’s hearing, the Chief Justice asked to tell what opinion the JIT has given in this case. The prosecutor replied that this is the opinion of the JIT that the terrorism section falls in this case.
Imran Khan’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, gave arguments and said that the points of terrorism cases are clear in the decision of the 7-member bench of the Supreme Court. What picture would it present?
Chief Justice Athar Minullah said to leave it, be relevant in arguments.
During the hearing, the court ordered to read the transcript of Imran Khan’s speech.
Chief Justice Athar Minullah ordered the prosecutor to read out the threatening sentences, the prosecutor said that Imran Khan said, “Shame on you, IG and DIG, we will not leave you, we will file a case, Magistrate.” Zeba Sahiba, you also get ready, action will be taken against you too.
Chief Justice Athar Minullah inquired, are these the only sentences?
Imran Khan’s lawyer said that the provisions of terrorism have been made a joke by making this case, Imran Khan asked the female judge and police officers to take legal action, there is no case on this conversation of Imran Khan.
Chief Justice said that Imran Khan’s conversation is not an attempt to influence the pending investigation? Salman Safdar replied that until the application for expulsion case was filed, the case did not include any other provisions other than terrorism.
Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi said that Section 186 has been removed from the case against Imran Khan, Section 189 has been added to the case of threatening to injure a police officer.
During the hearing, the court directed Salman Safdar Advocate to explain other provisions against Imran Khan and their punishments.
Salman Safdar said that these remaining 4 cases were not present on the ground for 12 days. In both sentences of Imran Khan, it was said that they will file a case and take action. Where has the unrest situation worsened? The circumstances only worsened for the petitioner, sometimes appearing in one court and sometimes in another court, none of these provisions apply in this case.
He added that saying ‘I will see you’ is not a crime unless it involves aggression. It was said that the judge and police officers were threatened by Imran Khan’s statement.
Salman Safdar said that it was written in the case that Imran Khan’s statement created fear and panic in the public, it is in front of everyone that Imran Khan’s statement caused fear and panic, Imran Khan submitted two answers to the police and they were satisfied. If not, they presented themselves.
He further said that the police asked Imran Khan a single question that the woman judge and the IG were terrorized by his statement. Imran Khan said that I had no intention to terrorize anyone. Wherever anyone has been harmed, wherever there has been unrest or fear spread, Imran Khan alone has been in trouble.
He said that the police is saying that a challan has been prepared against Imran Khan, this court has stopped the police from submitting the challan, what Imran Khan said he should not have said, he has expressed regret.
The conduct of the prosecution is before this court, after the Supreme Court’s verdict, the misuse of the terrorism provisions has largely stopped, the prosecution is still adamant on maintaining the terrorism case against Imran Khan.
The Chief Justice inquired that if these provisions are not imposed on Imran Khan, then what is the forum for the IG and DIG to say such words in public? What happened in 2014? Was there a case against him? An SSP was beaten up by political party workers, were those who tortured the police officer to be prosecuted?
In response, Imran Khan’s lawyer Salman Safdar said that yes, there was a case for torture.
After the arguments of Imran Khan’s lawyer were completed, prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi started the arguments.
Chief Justice Athar Minullah said that if someone intervenes in a pending case, it is contempt of court. What forum is there with IG and DIG? In this way then you will open a floodgate, which politician does not say something like this somewhere,
Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi said that no one else said such a thing, Chief Justice Athar Manullah said to leave it, don’t go into it.
Is there a threat?
Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi said that wounding is not only physical injury.
The Chief Justice inquired whether the IG or the DIG made any application for the registration case. Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi replied that the magistrate applied for the registration of this case, let’s see who said these words, he is not an ordinary person, he is a former prime minister, he can be a future prime minister.
Giving arguments, he further said that Imran Khan’s political party has strong social media and followers, Imran Khan has educated and uneducated followers, Imran Khan said in his speech that we will take action against you. He did not say that we will take legal action, the people were shocked that a former prime minister had said such words.
Chief Justice Athar Manullah said that the provisions of terrorism have been misused, two cases of terrorism were registered against Faisal Raza Abidi and he was later acquitted.
Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi said that the speech that Imran Khan gave was by design, to which Cheid Justice remarked that you could not find anything except a speech in the investigation, then the design did not exist.
The prosecutor argued that if the SHO says to someone, ‘I will see you’, it can have serious implications and consequences, just like the ex-Prime Minister’s provocative statement.
Later, the court gave a reserved decision regarding the upholding or dismissal of the terrorism case against Imran Khan and dropped the terrorism provisions from the case.
In the decision, it was said that the action against the former prime minister will continue in the relevant forum on other provisions except anti-terrorism.
