On March 18, violence erupted outside the Federal Judicial Complex in Islamabad as former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attended a court hearing in the Toshakhana case. A clash broke out between police and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters, leading to injuries and vehicle damage.
In response, an Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) granted bail to PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s aide, Amjad Khan Niazi, and 63 other party workers booked in terrorism cases related to the incident. The ATC judge accepted their request for bail and ordered them to submit surety bonds worth Rs50,000.
The clashes involved PTI workers using rocks and petrol bombs against the police, while law enforcement responded with anti-riot gear and tear gas. Dozens of officials were injured, and many vehicles were set on fire. The Islamabad police subsequently arrested more than 300 PTI supporters, accusing them of incitement, arson, vandalism, and attacks on police.
Last week, clashes erupted outside Islamabad’s Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan arrived for a Toshakhana hearing. The incident resulted in at least 25 injuries and the burning of 30 vehicles, including a police chowki.
PTI leaders had used social media to call for supporters to gather at the judicial complex, deploying 4,000 personnel, including 700 from FC and 1,000 from Punjab police. Law enforcement also placed shipping containers, barbed wire, and barricades to prevent the gathering from reaching the complex.
On Wednesday, Imran Khan condemned the alleged custodial torture of PTI workers and leaders, including Amjad Niazi and Hassaan Niazi. He criticized “shameful fascism and the law of the jungle.
The warrant for the arrest of Imran Khan in the case of alleged threats to a judge has been changed from non-bailable to bailable by an Islamabad district and sessions court.
In a case of alleged threats made to a judge, an Islamabad district and sessions court converted the non-bailable arrest warrant against PTI Chairman Imran Khan into a bailable guarantee on Friday. The court rejected the former premier’s request to extend the suspension of the contract, announcing the verdict on the same day.
Senior Civil Judge Rana Mujahid Rahim issued the arrest warrant on March 13 after a case was registered against Imran for threatening language against ADSJ Zeba Chaudhry and Islamabad police officials. Following a challenge by the PTI, ADSJ Faizan Haider Gilani suspended the warrant until March 16, asking Imran’s counsel to submit security documents in court.
On Friday, prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi and Imran’s counsel Gohar Ali appeared in ADSJ Gilani’s court.
During the hearing, Imran Khan’s counsel, Advocate Gohar Ali, requested that the PTI chief be summoned to court on March 30 since he was scheduled to attend a hearing in the Toshakhana case on that day at the Islamabad Katcheri where this hearing was being held. He also requested that the suspension of the arrest warrant be maintained.
However, ADSJ Gilani found the request odd, as the order for arrest in the contract was for March 29. The prosecutor, Rizwan Abbasi, stated that arguments should be made on merit while requesting for suspension of warrants and that even if the suspect were a blue-eyed boy for courts, he would not be favoured that much.
Imran’s lawyer then requested that the contract be extended to March 30, but ADSJ Gilani replied that the court could issue any verdict on March 29. The prosecutor argued that Imran had never appeared in the woman judge threatening case and that Advocate Gohar Ali did not have a power of attorney. The court reserved its verdict on Imran’s plea, which it announced later.
In August 2022, Imran Khan accused the police and judiciary of the custodial torture of Shahbaz Gill. He had announced his party’s intention to file cases against the then-IGP Dr Akbar Nasir Khan, the DIG, and ADSJ Zeba Chaudhry. As a result, Imran was initially charged under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), and the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), and the Islamabad High Court (IHC) launched contempt of court proceedings against him.
However, a month later, the IHC dismissed the terrorism charges against Imran and pardoned him after apologizing in the contempt case. Nonetheless, another issue based on an FIR lodged against him for threatening the judge remains pending before the sessions court.
Leave a Reply