IHC orders removal of ATA sections from terror case against Imran Khan

The decision was pronounced on the request to dismiss the terrorism case against Imran Khan.
The IHC says filing such cases on speeches will open the floodgates.
It is said that sections of ATA have been misused in the past.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday ordered the authorities to remove provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) from the case against PTI Chairman Imran Khan for threatening a woman judge, while dismissing the case. While ruling on the application to

A two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court headed by Chief Justice (CJ) Athar Minullah had reserved the verdict on the petition of PTI yesterday.

Khan was Filed in a case Under provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ACT) for making threatening remarks against the Additional Sessions Judge and senior officials of the Islamabad Police in his speech at a rally.

The party had approached the IHC to grant transit bail to Khan, but the court directed the former prime minister to approach the court. ATC As it was a case of terrorism.

The FIR registered against Khan said that he threatened Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry and police officers at a rally in F-Nine Park to “terrorize” the police authorities and the judiciary.

The FIR stated that its main objective was to prevent police officers and the judiciary from discharging their legal responsibilities. The FIR was registered under Section 7 of the ATA on the complaint of Magistrate Ali Javed at Margalla Police Station in Islamabad.

Today’s hearing

At the beginning of the hearing, IHC Chief Justice Minullah inquired about the views given by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) at the beginning of the hearing.

In response to the question, Special Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi said that the JIT’s position is that the ATA sections are applicable to the statement of the former prime minister.

However, Imran Khan’s lawyer opposed the arguments and said that some basic factors are necessary for a warrant. Charges of terrorism And that these factors were missing in the case.

“A case of terrorism can be registered for creating an atmosphere of fear and terror, not for the possibility of creating such an atmosphere,” he said.

He said that Imran Khan Talking about taking legal action and filing a case against an IG and DIG, he said that the concerned persons should have filed a case.

He said there was a “mastermind” behind the computerized complaint against Imran Khan, which was written with restraint.

Abbasi read the controversial excerpts of Imran Khan’s speech in the court on the instructions of IHC Chief Justice Minullah.

“Is it all or is there something else that is controversial? If you file such cases on speeches, it will open the floodgates,” the justice said.

He said that sections of ATA have been misused in the past.

“First of all, not a single section involved in the case is applicable [to Imran Khan’s speech]” the court observed.