PTI-PAT dharnas: Court seeks PTI reply in protesters killing case

Govt requests court to quash FIR against PM, ministers.

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday directed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to submit reply in connection with a case registered against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and key cabinet ministers after three people were killed during dharnas last year.

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui issued notice to PTI for November 26 after he resumed hearing into an application earlier filed by Islamabad Police inspector general seeking quashment of the case.

In September 2014, a district and sessions court had ordered the police to register a case against the premier and others.

The court had ordered the Secretariat police to register case against PM and members of the cabinet, including Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique and a former inspector general of Islamabad Police, over the killing of three protesters.



The decision had come in response to a petition filed by PTI against the Secretariat police for not registering an FIR. The protesters were killed during violent clashes with the police during the sit-in.

In his arguments, Additional Attorney General (AAG) Muhammad Waqar Rana said that no specific allegations had been levelled against those nominated in the case. The AAG said that offence does not constitute when the authorities are dealing with law and order situation.

Operations on the FIR were suspended following the registration of the case.

Moreover, several FIRs were registered in different police stations against PTI and PAT leaders after their workers and supporters clashed with security forces during a failed bid to storm the Prime Minister’s official residence during the sit-ins last year.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 17^th, 2015.