ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Thursday acquitted Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Parliament House attack case.
Judge Raja Jawad Abbas announced the decision on an application seeking acquittal of Prime Minister Imran Khan. The court also decided that Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood and Planning Minister Asad Umar will be indicted and have been summoned at the next hearing.
Provincial ministers Aleem Khan and Shaukat Yousafzai and PTI’s senior leader Jahangir Tareen have also been summoned at the next hearing. Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chairman Tahirul Qadri has been declared an absconder, while worker Mubashir Ali was also acquitted in the case.
Earlier this week, the prime minister had urged the court to acquit him as the prosecution was no longer interested in pursuing the case. The prime minister’s counsel Abdullah Babar Awan had informed the court that the prosecution stands in favour of his acquittal as the case was politically motivated.
The application stated that the prosecution was not interested to prosecute the applicant. It further stated the applicant is maliciously implicated and dragged in the false case and any further proceedings shall cause harassment and political victimisation.
He maintained that there was no evidence against the prime minister was involved in the case and no eyewitness came forward. He said the prosecution is not ready to take further legal action against the premier, urging the court to exonerate him from all charges.
On September 1, 2014, hundreds of protesters from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) had allegedly ransacked the office of the PTV and premises of the parliament.
The protestors also thrashed a senior police official serving as SSP operations. Over a hundred workers and supporters were also booked in the cases but were later released on bail.
PTI chairman Imran Khan and other leaders including Dr Arif Alvi, Asad Umar, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Shafqat Mahmood were booked under Anti-Terrorism Act for inciting violence during the sit-in. The prime minister has also filed a plea for acquittal in the PTV attack case.
