IHC stops Islamabad police from submitting challan in ATC against Imran Khan

• PTI files plea to dismiss terrorism case.
• IHC adjourns hearing till September 15.
• "What evidence is there except for speech?" IHC asks.

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday stopped the Islamabad police from submitting a challan against PTI Chairman Imran Khan in an anti-terrorism court in the judge threat case.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Saman Rafat heard PTI's plea to dismiss the terrorism case registered against the party chairman for allegedly threatening Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry and top officials of the Islamabad police.

The chief justice also directed the PTI chairman to ensure that he cooperates with the federal capital's police in the investigation of the case.

A first information report (FIR) was registered against the former prime minister in August under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for threatening the additional sessions judge and senior police officers of the Islamabad Police at a rally in the federal capital’s F-9 Park.

The FIR was registered on the complaint of magistrate Ali Javed at Islamabad's Margalla Police Station under Section 7 of ATA.

Following this, Khan managed to secure transit bail till August 25 from the IHC but was asked to approach the ATC as it was the relevant forum. Then, the trial court extended the interim bail till September 12 in the terrorism case.

Today's hearing

At today's hearing, Khan's counsel Barrister Ali Zafar informed the two-member bench that the police have added new sections to the FIR registered against Khan.

The lawyer then pleaded with the court to stop the police from taking disciplinary action until next week.

The court then asked the police whether they had submitted a challan in the terrorism case in the ATC as of yet. Islamabad Advocate General Jahangir Jadoon informed the bench that Khan isn't getting involved in the investigation.

"The police aren't being given access to Imran Khan [...] and this case is linked to Shahbaz Gill," the advocate general informed the court.

The IHC CJ then said that this was a test case for the investigation officer (IO), and in case there is any offence which has been mistakenly added, he should remove it himself.

"The law will make its way in the case. But why is there a need to form a joint investigation team? What evidence is there except for a speech?" the IHC CJ wondered.

Following the arguments, the court directed the police to submit a report first in the case before it files a challan in the ATC. The bench then adjourned the hearing till September 15.