ISLAMABAD: “Who gets charged with terrorism for holding a political gathering in a democracy,” Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairperson Imran Khan said on Thursday during the hearing of 2014 PTV attack cases at an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad.
Judge Shahrukh Arjumand asked Khan to address the court through his lawyer and adjourned the hearing till February 26.
Earlier, the PTI chief filed two requests, one pleading his acquittal and the other an exemption from appearance in court. The court ordered that copies of both requests should be provided to the prosecution. Khan’s counsel requested that a decision on the acquittal request should be made before indictment. The judge observed that Khan would have to appear in court until his exemption request was approved.
Speaking to the media on his arrival at the court premises, Khan said it was funny that terrorism cases had been filed against him even though the protest sit-in was part of a political struggle.
Thursday’s hearing was about a case related to injuries caused to the then-Islamabad Operations SSP Asmatullah Junejo in a riot during PTI’s 2014 sit-in in Islamabad. The ATC is also hearing other related cases against PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek leadership, including that of the attack on the state television building and Parliament.
On September 1, 2014, violence had broken out in the federal capital when PTI and PAT supporters attempted to break a police cordon and storm the PM House, using cranes to remove barricades. The decision to march to the PM House was taken after talks had failed to end the deadlock over the resignation of the then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
The two parties were protesting alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections. Khan had threatened to shut down the entire country if allegations were not probed. The protest had continued for a record 104 days and it ended after the attack on Peshawar’s Army Public School. The clashes between police and protesters resulted in three deaths and injuries to over 500 people. Of the injured, 77 were security officials deployed in the Red Zone, including SSP Junejo.
Published in Daily Times, February 16th 2018.
