ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad District and Sessions Court has acquitted former Prime Minister Imran Khan and former lawmakers Asad Umar and Faisal Javed, along with others, in a case related to protest and vandalism. The charges stemmed from an alleged violation of Section 144 during the PTI’s purported long march on May 25, 2022, as registered at Tarnol police station.
Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Shabbir accepted the acquittal petitions, filed separately by the suspects under Section 249-A of the law, stating that further trial would be futile as punishment for the suspects in the case seemed unlikely.
Individuals acquitted include PTI Founder Imran Khan, Asad Umar, Raja Khurram, Shahzad Nawaz, Ali Nawaz Awan, Faisal Javed, Abid Hussain, and Zaheer Khan. Notably, Asad Umar, Ali Nawaz Awan, and Faisal Javed were on bail, and the court ruled they could now withdraw their bonds.
The court’s decision was grounded on the argument that the suspects, including Imran Khan, were unaware of the implementation of Section 144, as no notification had been issued by the additional district magistrate. The court suggested the case might be politically motivated, indicating potential revenge against PTI leadership.
During proceedings, the court noted that, according to the prosecutor, the PTI founder and other suspects intentionally obstructed GT Road. However, the court emphasized that the government’s notification of Section 144 had not been made public.
Additionally, it highlighted that the SHO of Tarnol police station, a complainant in the case, lacked the authority to do so. Despite 11 witnesses being included in the case file, the court revealed that not a single statement had been recorded.
