Court summons four federal ministers in terror cases

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ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court in the federal capital on Thursday summoned four federal ministers in the next hearing of the cases related to the mob attacks on Pakistan Television (PTV) and Parliament House in 2014.

ATC Judge Syed Kausar Abbas Zaidi heard the cases related to the attacks on PTV and Parliament House in 2014.

The court accepted the plea for exemptions from court hearings filed by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak, Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Jehangir Tareen and directed them to appear in the next hearing.

The ATC is hearing four anti-terrorism cases pertaining to the attack on the state television building, parliament and SSP Junejo, against PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) leaders.

The ATC, in September, had granted Prime Minister Imran Khan permanent exemption from appearing before it in the cases.

On Aug 31, 2014, anti-government protesters from PTI and PAT clashed with police while marching towards parliament and Prime Minister’s House.

The clash resulted in the deaths of three participants of the sit-ins. Hundreds, including demonstrators and police officials, were wounded.

The transmission of PTV News and PTV World was cut off for almost half an hour before the Pakistan Army cleared the building.