ATC approves Imran Khan's five-day physical remand in vandalism case

• Special prosecutor had sought Khan's 15-day physical remand.
• Ex-PM is accused of inciting arson, causing property damage.
• His lawyer terms case political vendetta, based on assumptions.

RAWALPINDI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday approved a five-day physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in a vandalism case.

The development came during the hearing of a case held at Rawalpindi's Adiala jail where the former prime minister has been incarcerated for more than a year now.

Khan was arrested in the said case on Wednesday hours after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday approved his bail in the new Toshakhana case involving the alleged illegal sale of state gifts.

A first information report (FIR) was filed against the ex-PM at the New Town police station with the PTI's protest on September 28 which saw party workers clashing with the law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

The case — registered under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) — accuses the politician of inciting arson and causing damage to property.

The FIR also mentions that five suspects — Khalil, Imran, Sadaqat, Yaseen, and Tahir — were arrested at the scene. It also claims that a petrol bottle was recovered from the possession of suspect Tahir.

Several police vehicles, including that of SP Rawal, were damaged, and one police officer sustained a severe eye injury from glass, said the FIR, adding that the suspects seized government firearms and fired them in the air, causing panic, it adds.

During the hearing today, Special Public Prosecutor Zaheer Shah sought a 15-day remand and argued that demonstrators attacked government property on Khan's protest call despite the imposition of Sector 144.

He also alleged that the PTI founder planned the said protests in Adiala jail.

Countering the government lawyer, Khan's counsel Salman Safdar said that the case against his client was part of a political vendetta.

Stressing that the case was based on assumptions, Safdar questioned how the PTI founder could have planned the protest while being in solitary confinement.