IHC seeks report from Islamabad IGP, admin over judicial complex vandalism

• Court issues notices to IG and district administration.
• Notices followed hearing of contempt plea against Khan.
• Petition requests court to summon former prime minister.

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday sought a report from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Dr Akbar Nasir Khan and the district administration on the riots, arson, and vandalism perpetrated by unruly political workers at the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) last week.

Chief Justice Aamer Farooq issued the notices — seeking the report — during the hearing of the contempt petition, filed by assistant commissioner Shalimar, against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan following the “destruction caused by his party’s workers” when he reached FJC to attend the hearing of Toshakhana case.

In a bid to prevent the PTI chief from appearing before the court, protestors attacked law enforcement personnel deployed outside the courts and indiscriminately damaged public property on Saturday (March 18).

Following arguments of the petitioner’s counsel Raja Rizwan Abbasi, the court combined the contempt case with that of the missing court file bearing Khan’s signature, which the Superintendent of Police Sami Malik lost amid rampant pandemonium at the judicial complex on that day.

According to the petition, Khan violated the court orders binding him not to create a law and order situation.

“The PTI workers pelted stones on the police and judicial complex which resulted in injuries of police personnel,” the petition read.

The plea read that the police had made security arrangements as per the court order adding that the former prime minister — whose government was ousted from power after a vote of no confidence last April — did not obey even a single order issued by the court on March 17.

The petition requested the court to summon Khan and take lawful action against him.

The court adjourned the hearing till April 17 after issuing the notices.

Meanwhile, the PTI chairman, along with his 17 party leaders, has been booked by the police on charges of creating disarray by rioting with the police force and damaging public property outside the judicial complex.

Police also arrested 61 PTI activists involved in attacking the cops and recovered paraphernalia required for preparing petrol bombs and other homemade weapons that rioters use to fight the law enforcers.

The Islamabad Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) lodged the first information report (FIR) under various charges, including 10 cases under the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and a terrorism charge against Imran and 17 others for allegedly attacking police officers and causing chaos outside the court complex. Ramna Police Station registered the FIR.