Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, was charged with violating the Anti-Terrorism Act for allegedly threatening law enforcement, the judiciary, and other state institutions at a rally in Islamabad on Saturday.
The issue came to light on Sunday, hours after Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah stated that the government was considering bringing legal action against 69-year-old Khan for his controversial remark made on Saturday night in the national capital’s F-9 Park.
The complaint was filed at Islamabad’s Margalla Police Station at 10 p.m. on Saturday under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, according to a copy of the first information report that the media agency has seen (punishment for acts of terrorism).
According to the FIR, Khan “terrorised and threatened top police officials and a respected female additional sessions judge” during his speech to prevent them from carrying out their duties and dissuade them from taking any action against anyone associated with his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party.
It claims that Khan’s remarks caused the public and the police to become fearful and unsure.
In his speech, Khan made threats to bring lawsuits against senior police officers, a female magistrate, the Pakistani Election Commission, and political rivals over the treatment of his aide Shahbaz Gill, who was detained last week on sedition-related charges.
Additionally, he had expressed displeasure with Additional District and Sessions, Judge Zeba Chaudhry, telling her to “prepare yourself as the action will be done against her” after she had authorised Gill’s two-day physical remand at the capital police’s request. Sanaullah, the interior minister, stated earlier during a press conference that the government was seeking legal advice before filing any charges against Khan. He said that Khan’s speech carried on a recent pattern of attacking the military and other institutions.
“This is all happening in continuation,” the minister said, “from a campaign after the Lasbela incident where six army officers were killed, to Gill’s attempt to incite army ranks to rebel against their top command, and then Imran threatening a woman judge and police officials for carrying out their duties by the law.”
Following Khan’s controversial statement on Saturday night, Pakistan’s electronic media authority prohibited satellite television networks from airing live talks of Khan.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) stated that TV networks had ignored many warnings to deploy a time-delay system to halt the broadcast of content critical of “state institutions.”
It stated, “It has been noted that Mr. Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, is continuously accusing state institutions in his speeches/statements by levelling baseless allegations and spreading hate speech through his provocative statements against state institutions and officers, which is detrimental to the maintenance of law and order and is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility.
The statement claims that after analysing the speech’s substance, it was discovered that the licensees had broadcast it live without a reliable time-delay device.
In light of the aforementioned context and factors, the competent authority, i.e. Chairman PEMRA, today forbids the transmission of Khan’s live address on all satellite TV stations with immediate effect, it said.
In a covert allusion to the coalition government, Khan called the mighty Army “neutrals” at the event and asked his followers to stick with the country rather than the “gang of thieves.”
He also criticised the court, calling it “biased.”
The PTI chairman’s party responded angrily to the ban by claiming that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s administration is fascist.
“Imported fascists are attempting to prevent Imran Khan’s remarks from being broadcast on television. With fascism as a strategy, they have utterly lost the war and will collapse. Raise your voice against fascists to #HelpPakistan “The party of Khan tweeted.
The former cricketer-turned-politician has asserted time and time again that a “foreign conspiracy” was behind the no-trust motion that led to his removal from office in April.
Additionally, Khan has made it clear that his party would not cooperate with or recognise the “imported administration” led by Prime Minister Sharif.
In the meanwhile, on Sunday night, a defiant Khan spoke to a crowd at Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh grounds.
“Pemra has now joined the game. How did Imran Khan act? His sole transgression is that he refuses to submit to this foreign regime “In response to the Pemra’s ban on his live remarks, Khan stated.
He also discussed the nation’s worsening economic conditions and inflation, claiming that the army head had to travel to nations like Saudi Arabia to obtain loans.
“Holding fair and free elections are the only way to move the country out of the current crisis,” he stated.
Also Read: Let Voters Know That “Freebies Are Never Free” Impact: RBI Member
