Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Wednesday said that “full effort” will be made to arrest PTI Chairman and former premier Imran Khan after the “intolerable attack” on the Islamabad judicial complex.
Earlier in the day, police registered a case against the former premier and several PTI workers for the alleged vandalism outside the judicial complex.
On Tuesday, the former premier, accompanied by his party supporters, had reached Islamabad’s judicial complex to appear before the courts to face multiple cases, including the prohibited funding and the terrorism charges against him.
According to the case details, a group of 2,800 “armed PTI workers stormed the judicial complex under the leadership of Imran Khan”.
The FIR stated that the workers were carrying firearms, stones and sticks, adding that they also tore the cause lists of the courts.
During a news conference in Islamabad, Sanaullah questioned what kind of politics was taking place within the judicial complex, adding that if anyone committed violence there they would be tried under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Sanaullah stated that the way the judiciary was “pampering” Imran, he could easily appear before the court with a couple of guards, instead of a mob.
According to the minister, Imran came to the complex with a criminal intent and that it was “not a difficult task” to gather a few thousand people to attack the complex.
He maintained that attacking courts was an act of terrorism and two cases had been lodged over the incident.
“So far, 29 people have been arrested and 200 people have been named,” he said, adding that Imran was the mastermind behind the “entire criminal act”.
The minister appealed to the people to recognise Imran for “who he is” and to “toss him out” with their votes.
He maintained that through such acts, not only the courts were disrespected but they would also be unable to perform their duties.
The interior minister alleged that the ousted premier received “love and unnecessary relief from the courts” but would not get bail “sitting at home”, adding that he would try his best to “catch Imran”.
He recalled that the PTI chief used to call himself a popular leader, but should now see the “end” of his “Jail Bharo” movement.
He cited Imran as first having said that thousands of his people would go to the jail as a part of his “court arrest” drive but now the PTI was requesting not to imprison its supporters in certain jails.
Commenting on the Supreme Court’s decision to hold polls in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa within 90 days, the interior minister maintained that the incumbent government would accept the apex court’s decision but there was a “difference of opinion” in the ruling. “The suo motu case has been dropped and the decision will now be taken in the high courts,” he said.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ