Vandalism Case
RAWALPINDI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Thursday granted a five-day physical remand for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, Imran Khan, in a case related to vandalism.
This decision was made during the hearing held at Adiala Jail, where Khan has been detained for over a year. The former prime minister’s arrest came just hours after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted him bail in a separate case concerning the alleged illegal sale of state gifts, the Toshakhana case.
The vandalism case dates back to PTI’s protest on September 28, when party workers clashed with law enforcement agencies (LEAs). Following the violent protests, an FIR was filed against Imran Khan at the New Town police station.
The charges include inciting arson and causing extensive damage to property. The protest, which had escalated into chaos, was organized under Khan’s leadership and violated the imposition of Section 144, a law that restricts public gatherings.
The case was registered under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), accusing Khan of inciting violence that resulted in significant damage.
According to the FIR, several police vehicles, including one belonging to SP Rawal, were damaged, and a police officer sustained a severe eye injury caused by glass debris.
The FIR further stated that one of the suspects, identified as Tahir, was found with a petrol bottle, while other suspects reportedly seized government firearms and fired them into the air, causing widespread panic.
During the court session, Special Public Prosecutor Zaheer Shah requested a 15-day remand for Khan, arguing that the protesters had attacked government property following Khan’s call, despite the imposition of Section 144.
Shah also claimed that Khan had orchestrated the protest while incarcerated at Adiala Jail. In response, Khan’s lawyer, Salman Safdar, refuted these claims, calling the case a product of political retribution.
Safdar further questioned the plausibility of the accusations, given Khan’s solitary confinement at the time of the protest, suggesting that the case was based on assumptions and lacked credible evidence to support the charges.
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