ISLAMABAD – An anti-terrorism court on Wednesday postponed the announcement of the verdict on an acquittal plea by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in a case pertaining to torturing a senior police official during sit-ins in 2014.
As ATC Judge Shahrukh Arjumand resumed the case, counsel for Khan submitted an application seeking exemption from appearance for his client, subsequently, the court rejected the plea and ordered the accused to appear in court in person today.
Later, the court accepted the plea and warned the PTI chief that an arrest warrant would be issued if he did not attend the next hearing, scheduled for May 4.
ATC judge Shahrukh Arjumand, on April 10, reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from defense counsel Babar Awan and Special Public Prosecutor Chaudhry Shafqaat on the plea filed under section 265-K of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
At the last hearing, Awan on a lighter note told the court: “His [the PTI chief’s] name is Khan and he is not a terrorist.”
He added that the PTI chief had not been nominated in the case by witnesses, who said a mob attacked Junejo and other officials.
After reading the statements of witnesses, the defense counsel said that he felt the need to cross-examine them as they had not named Khan in their testimonies. “Does that mean the case is concluded,” enquired the judge.
During the sit-ins in 2014 when PTI and PAT workers marched towards Parliament and PM House and clashed with policemen, SSP Junejo was beaten up on Constitution Avenue on his first day on the job as SSP Operations of ICT Police. The protesters also ransacked the PTV office.
Later, four cases were registered against Khan, PAT chief Tahirul Qadri and several others for their alleged involvement in the attacks.
Earlier, the ATC granted pre-arrest bail to Khan in cases regarding the attack on Junejo and the PTV and parliament buildings as well as a violation of the loudspeaker act during the sit-in.
