Islamabad (February 23, 2018): An anti-terrorism court (ATC) of Islamabad on Friday rejected the plea of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan seeking exemption from appearance in PTV and parliament attack case.
ATC judge Shahrukh Arjumand conducted an initial hearing over Khan’s petition.
On February 15, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday filed a plea for his acquittal and exemption from court proceedings in SSP Asmat Ullah Junejo torture case (PTV and parliament attack case).
The PTI chief appeared before the court headed by judge Shahrukh Arjumand hearing case of SSP Asmat Ullah Junejo torture case.
The PTI chief filed the pleas of acquittal and exemption from the court proceedings to which the court ordered to submit its copies to the prosecution.
The counsel of Imran Khan, Babar Awan, did not appear before the court due to his busy schedule and Advocate Shahid Naseem gave arguments in his absence. Naseem asked the court to decided on the exemption and acquittal pleas before indictment in the case.
During the hearing, Khan said to the judge that terror cases were registered against him for carrying out a political struggle. “Is carrying out political struggle a crime?”he asked.
The judge replied that the cases are in the court and they would move on with the court procedures. Later the court issued notices to the other parties and said that the arguments on the pleas for acquittal and exemption would be taken in the next hearing to be held on 26 February and postponed the hearing.
The court has summoned Imran Khan today in the SSP Asmat Ullah Junejo torture case.
Talking to media before appearing at the ATC court on Thursday, Khan said that Nawaz Sharif wanted to pressurize the judiciary through his criticism in order to get a new NRO.
“I have now forgotten how many times I have appeared before the ATC court,” he said adding he was doing a political struggle but he is framed in anti-terror cases.
Khan said that he is a common man and do not consider him as a king like other political leadership in the country.
He said that Ali Tareen was the best candidate for PTI in Lodhran and they would learn from the mistakes and come with more power in next elections.
In last hearing, Khan and his other associates were granted bail by the anti-terror court in four cases including Parliament attack case and Asmat Ullah Junejo torture case.
Talking to media after the court decision, Khan said that it has been proved that he is ‘Sadiq’ and ‘Ameen’ not a terrorist. “Anti-terror laws are used against the political opponents,” he said.
The PTI Chairman expressed hope that the next government will be run by the PTI where they would be contested by mafias not the political parties.
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