Threat to female judge not terrorism, case should be dismissed: Imran Khan tells JIT

• PTI Chairman Imran Khan asks JIT for dismissal of terrorism case in written reply submitted through his lawyer.
• PTI leader says what he said in speech cannot be categorised as terrorism.
• PTI chairman has been booked in a terrorism case over his remarks about female sessions court judge Zeba Chaudhry and police.

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan said on Friday that the threats he issued to a female judge in a rally do not fall under “terrorism” and the case should be dismissed as he is “innocent”.

The PTI chairman called for the dismissal of his case in the written reply submitted to the joint investigation team (JIT), formed to probe his case through his lawyer.

“I am the chairman of Tehreek-e-Insaf, I have been the prime minister of Pakistan, the government tortured [my aide] Shahbaz Gill due to political opposition, the report filed in the Islamabad High Court proved the torture of Shahbaz Gill,” Khan told the JIT.

The PTI leader added that what he said in the speech cannot be categorised as terrorism, adding that he neither committed any illegal acts nor harmed anyone.

Read more: ATC extends Imran Khan's interim bail in terror case till Sept 12

Even though the PTI chairman submitted a written reply, he was directed by a court to be a part of the investigation in the case.

Khan was asked to appear before the JIT at the Margalla Police Station today at 3pm but he did not show up.

Last week, an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad extended the interim bail of the PTI chairman till September 12 in the terrorism case related to his controversial remarks about the female sessions court judge Zeba Chaudhry and the capital city police.

The court directed the ex-prime minister to submit Rs100,000 as surety against the bail.

The case

A case was registered against the former prime minister under the Anti-Terrorism Act for threatening the additional sessions judge and senior police officers of the Islamabad Police during a public rally.

The party moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) where Khan managed to secure a transit bail till August 25, but was asked to approach the ATC as the case was terrorism-related.

Read more: Case registered against Imran Khan under anti-terrorism law for threatening judge, police officials

The FIR registered against Khan states that he threatened Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry and police officers at a rally in F-9 Park to “terrorise” police officials and the judiciary.

The main aim was to prevent the police officers and judiciary from carrying out their legal obligations, states the FIR.

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

What did Imran Khan say?

At a rally at the F-9 park in Islamabad, Khan warned that he would “not spare” Islamabad's inspector-general, deputy inspector general, and the female magistrate, vowing to file cases against them for "torturing" Gill.

“We will not spare the IG and DIG,” he said while addressing the gathering.

Read more: Imran Khan to file cases against Islamabad IG, DIG, female magistrate over Shahbaz Gill’s case

The former prime minister called out the sessions judge, who had approved Gill’s two-day physical remand at the request of the capital police, and said she, too, should "prepare" as a case will also be registered against her.

The PTI chief led the rally in Islamabad from Zero Point to F-9 Park in support of incarcerated leader Gill, who the party claims was subjected to “gruesome torture” in police custody.