ATC wants Imran in court on June 28

Also issues bailable arrest warrants for some PTI leaders

ISLAMABAD:

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Friday issued a production warrant for incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan, ordering his appearance on June 28.

The court also issued bailable arrest warrants for other absent accused in a case filed under terrorism charges related to the violation of Section 144 and vandalism at Ramna Police Station in the wake of the May 9, 2023 incidents of violence.

The written order was issued by ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Supra. The PTI founder is currently detained at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail in another case. The court also issued bailable arrest warrants for PTI leaders Hammad Azhar, Farrukh Habib, Murad Saeed, and Hassan Khan Niazi.

Read Imran’s first interaction with CJ Isa

A day earlier, on Thursday, a local court in Islamabad acquitted Imran Khan in two cases related to the May 9, 2023, incidents. Judicial Magistrate Umar Shabbir announced the reserved verdict on the acquittal petitions submitted by the PTI founder.

The court acquitted the PTI founder due to insufficient evidence. Both cases were filed at Islamabad’s Shahzad Town Police Station under Section 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
Section 109 pertains to the abetment of a crime. Abetment refers to encouraging, instigating, or aiding someone to commit a crime.

"Whoever abets any offence shall, if the act abetted is committed in consequence of the abetment, and no express provision is made by this Code for the punishment of such abetment, be punished with the punishment provided for the offence," the section says.

Lawyers Mirza Asim Baig and Naeem Panjutha represented the former PM. During the arguments, Baig stated that unauthorized individuals had registered the FIRs and that no evidence was presented to support these allegations. Consequently, the court acquitted the PTI founder of the charges in these cases.