Pakistan police file fresh cases against Imran Khan, close aide Qureshi

Pakistan’s federal capital police arrested former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, his close aide Shah Mehmood Qureshi, and dozens of supporters in three separate terrorism cases, as per reports.

Police in Islamabad registered four separate cases against PTI leaders, activists, and supporters on various charges, including violating the Anti-Terrorism Act, and arrested over two dozen people. The new cases were filed at the same time Khan was facing non-bailable arrest warrants in the Toshakhana case.

In the FIR, registered with Bhara Kahu police station, Hamid Zaman Kiani, Naseem Abbasi, Shaikh Liaqat and Chaudhry Tariq, along with 40 unidentified persons, were booked on the charges of creating a civil commotion, and 21(i) (aid and abetment), along with Section 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and many more, Dawn reported.

Cases were filed at the police stations in Bhara Kahu, Khanna, and Tarnol.
The FIRs filed at Khanna and Bhara Kahu police stations held Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi responsible for the PTI activists’ actions. The complainants claimed that PTI activists intimidated shopkeepers and forced them to close their doors. According to the FIRs, PTI workers stated that they were following the orders of Imran Khan and Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

According to Geo News, the Islamabad High Court rejected the PTI chairman’s plea for the suspension of non-bailable arrest warrants issued in the Toshakhana case on Wednesday.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal announced the verdict reserved earlier redirecting the authorities concerned to arrest the former prime minister and present him before the court on March 18.
On Wednesday morning, the situation at Khan’s Zaman Park residence is seemingly calm following the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) orders of stopping the police operation till 10 am. But when the court resumed the hearing on Thursday, it clarified that it has not stopped police from executing the arrest warrants and asked PTI to resolve the ongoing issue, Geo News reported.

PTI workers and police clashed for nearly 24 hours as Zaman Park virtually became a battleground, with the law enforcers trying to get through supporters and arrest Khan, who was voted out as the prime minister last April.

Scores of people, including police personnel and PTI workers, were injured in the process as the law enforcers fired teargas and party supporters resorted to throwing Molotov cocktails.

Khan’s legal proceedings began after he was removed from office in a parliamentary vote early last year. He has since held nationwide protest rallies calling for a snap election, during one of which he was shot and injured.