Govt to rake up PTI's Parliament House attack case

Plans to move IHC against ATC's acquittal of PTI's top leadership in the 2014 incident

ISLAMABAD:

Despite the limitation set by the time bar, the federal government is considering raking up the infamous 2014 PTV-Parliament House attack case and moving the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the acquittal of President Dr Arif Alvi and the top leadership of the PTI by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) earlier this year.

A senior government functionary revealed to The Express Tribune that the government’s legal wing has started drafting an appeal against the ATC order that acquitted the PTI’s top leadership.

Even though the appeal is time-barred under the law, the government has to file an appeal within 30 days. The ATC had issued its order in March when the PTI government was still in power – almost a month before the PTI-led government was ousted. However, the prosecution department preferred not to file an appeal against the acquittal of PTI leadership.

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A senior government official contended that the ATC gave the acquittal order on the basis of a statement given by the prosecutor who said that there was no direct evidence against the persons accused in the case. He further alleged that PTI lawyers managed to tilt scales in its favour in the prosecution branch as even prosecutors, who had close links with PTI lawyers, were replaced in this case.

Senior lawyers also wondered why the apex court did not take suo motu notice of the government's failure to file an appeal against the ATC’s order.

The government will move an application for the condonation of delay in filing the appeal.

Lawyers say that if the court is convinced by the government’s contentions then the matter could be remanded for re-trial.

However, former advocate general Islamabad Niazullah Niazi revealed that no instruction or appeal was received by chief commissioner Islamabad to file an appeal in this matter.

On Aug 31, 2014, PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers marched towards the Parliament House and Prime Minister House and clashed with police deployed at Constitution Avenue. The protesters also attacked the PTV premises and briefly took control of the building.

As per the prosecution, three people were killed and 26 injured, while 60 were arrested. It had submitted 65 photographs, sticks, cutters, etc, to the court to establish its case. It also maintained the protest was not peaceful and the PTI leaders sought bail after three years.

Police had invoked the Anti-Terrorism Act against Prime Minister Imran, Alvi and leaders including Umar, Qureshi, Shafqat Mehmood and Raja Khurram Nawaz for inciting violence during the 2014 sit-in.