Imran moves court against ‘ridiculous’ terror charges

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan on Friday approached an anti-terrorism court (ATC) for removing the terrorism provisions in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) protest case against him.

The petition filed by the former prime minister maintained that the terror charges were “ridiculous” and in contempt of the decision made by the seven-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC).

It stated that the Anti-Terrorism Act was used to suppress political opponents for political interests and thus was “destructive”.

“These tactics also show the government's lack of seriousness in the matter of terrorism,” it added.

The petition stated that there were requirements for invoking terrorism provisions, which included the use of threat of action for the purpose of advancing a religious, sectarian, or ethnic cause or for the purpose of intimidating and terrorising the public, social sectors, media persons, and the business community.

Moreover, it stated that the clauses required the intent to attack civilians, government officials, security forces or law enforcement agencies, or cause damage to property or installations.

“That it is an admitted fact that the applicant and others did not belong to any ethnic, religious group or were serving their cause or the commission of alleged offence was for the purpose of intimidating and terrorising the public, social sector, media person, business community or attack on civilians, including damaging property by ransacking, looting, arson or by any other means government officials, installations of security forces or law enforcement agencies,” the petition stated.

“Furthermore, the design of alleged offence was not to coerce or intimidate or overawe the government or public or a section of public or community or a sect. In the absence of supra stated ingredients commission of violence against public servants did not constitute an offence within the meaning of Section 6 (n) of Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 punishable under Section 7 of ATA, 1997,” it added.

Read Imran loses protective bail over no-show

Earlier, an ATC in Islamabad had rejected Imran’s bail in the case after the former premier failed to appear before the judge.

The court had also rejected a request from Imran for exemption from appearance on medical grounds, granting him the "last opportunity" to appear before it on Feb 15.

The Islamabad police had booked the PTI chief and scores of party workers on terrorism charges in October last year in response to protests after his disqualification in the Toshakhana reference.

The first information report registered against the party members claimed the protestors had pelted stones at the police and FC officials, leading to many injuries.

It stated that workers of the former ruling party tried ramming police personnel with vehicles, set public property ablaze in Faizabad, and damaged government property.

The former premier was on interim bail in the case and the court had provided him with the opportunity to appear on Wednesday.

The court released a short order: “It has transpired from the available record that multifarious opportunities have been provided to the present applicant [Imran] to put up an appearance before the court but to no avail.”