Storming PTV: ATC issues warrants for Imran, Qadri, 70 others

"The faith of the country will be decided on November 2," says PTI chief

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Friday directed the police to present before it the heads of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), along with 70 other suspects on the charge of attacking state buildings in 2014. The court also upheld the earlier issued non-bailable warrants.

ATC Judge Kausar Abbas Zaidi directed the police to present the suspects before the court on November 17 -- the next date of the hearing.

Warrants were issued for the PTI and PAT leaders in response to two separate FIRs registered by Secretariat police after workers of the two parties, staging a marathon sit-in in the capital, stormed the Pakistan Television (PTV) headquarters and parliament on August 31-September 1, 2014.

The FIR, registered on a complaint by Secretariat SHO Inspector Mehboob Ahmed, claimed that the protesters attacked the government building after snatching weapons from policemen.

Apart from Imran and Qadri, it also nominated PTI leaders, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar and Saifullah Niazi;  Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid and PAT leader Raheeq Abbasi.

Meanwhile, the ATC judge granted six suspects exemption from personal appearance in the case.

At the previous hearing prior to Ramazan, the suspects had requested the court to grant a long adjournment.

However, the judge had remarked that he could not give such a long adjournment but would accept exemption applications, if filed in a timely manner.

In an attempt to topple the PML-N government, the PTI and PAT workers on August 31, 2014 marched towards the Prime Minister’s House. Later on September 1, hundreds of protesters briefly seized control of PTV. Later, army troops had cleared the buildings.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2016.