Imran, party leaders face a record 130 FIRs

LHC hears PTI chief’s plea seeking details of cases

LAHORE:

A record 130 First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and his other party leaders.

It was revealed before the Lahore High Court on Wednesday which was hearing a plea filed by the former prime minister seeking details of the FIRs registered against him and other PTI workers.

The FIRs were registered by the Punjab and Islamabad police and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Meanwhile, LHC’s Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Anti-Corruption Establishment to submit the record of FIRs from their departments by March 24.

According to the records, out of a total of 130 FIRs, 35 were registered against Imran.

The Punjab police registered a total of 84 FIRs against PTI leadership and workers but nominated Imran Khan in six. Islamabad police registered 43 FIRs against party workers, with 28 against Imran and the FIA registered three FIRs with Imran mentioned in one.

As proceedings commenced, the petitioner's counsel, Advocate Azhar Siddique, drew the court’s attention towards the rapid increase in the number of FIRs registered against Imran and the PTI.

He contended that there were 56 FIRs in Punjab and 33 in Islamabad till yesterday which increased to 84 and 43 respectively.

NAB sought some time to submit the relevant report, irking Justice Sheikh who questioned what the accountability watchdog was doing since yesterday.

NAB’s representative replied that they found out today about the requisite document and that the accountability watchdog was not given the petitioner’s copy, therefore could not respond without reading the petition.

Siddique argued NAB had been written to twice but the bureau and Anti-Corruption are reluctant to submit the record before the court.

Justice Sheikh then asked the anti-corruption wing how many cases were registered against Imran Khan, and expressed dismay after receiving a non-satisfactory answer. He maintained that it appeared NAB and the anti-corruption wing were not cooperating.