- PTI chief calls Nawaz Sharif ‘mentally unstable’, says Shehbaz Sharif and his sons ‘have a corruption limited company’
- PML-N to challenge Imran’s acquittal
ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Friday acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in a case pertaining to an attack on then Islamabad senior superintendent of police operations Asmatullah Junejo during the PTI-Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s protest sit-in in the federal capital in 2014.
ATC Judge Shahrukh Arjumand read out the verdict in the case.
“You are discharged from the case,” said the judge. “Thanks a lot,” Khan responded.
The court had deferred the judgement on April 25 in the acquittal plea submitted by Imran and ordered him to appear in person. The judge had threatened to issue arrest warrants if Imran did not appear before the court.
‘NAWAZ IS MENTALLY UNSTABLE’:
Talking to reporters after the decision, Imran said he is happy over the court’s decision and vowed to stop the misuse of the anti-terrorism laws when his government comes into power.
“Such democratic governments are worse than military dictatorships,” he asserted, saying they come into power through vote yet do not work for the people.
In response to a question, Imran said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif needs psychiatric help as he is mentally unstable. Imran Khan further claimed that Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his sons have a ‘corruption limited company’.
He also questioned the use of the province’s development fund.
The PTI chairperson also criticised Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders Rana Sanaullah, Abid Sher Ali, Javed Latif, Khawaja Asif and Tallal Chaudhry for their anti-women remarks.
“A Khyber Pakhtunkhwa minister was made to apologise instantly when he made anti-women remarks,” Imran shared.
Imran also called out Nawaz’s daughter Maryam for being a false champion of women’s rights.
The PTI chairperson claimed the Sharifs did not even spare Pakistan Peoples Party’s Nusrat Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto.
CASE:
Earlier, the court had confirmed Khan’s pre-arrest bail in cases pertaining to the attack on Junejo and the PTV and parliament buildings as well as a violation of the loudspeaker act during the 2014 sit-in.
Political leaders and over a hundred workers and supporters of the PTI and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) were booked in the cases. The workers, who were arrested, were later released on bail.
On August 31, 2014, in an attempt to topple the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, the PTI and PAT workers had marched on parliament and the PM House while clashing with policemen along the way.
On September 1, 2014, hundreds of men, allegedly protesters from the PTI and PAT camps, ransacked the PTV office, parliament premises and brutally beat up Junejo, less than 24 hours into his first day of job as SSP operations.
Khan, PAT chief Tahirul Qadri and several others were booked for their alleged involvement in the attacks.
