ISLAMABAD: In relation to the deaths of paramilitary members who were struck by a speeding car on the Srinagar Highway last week during a PTI protest, former prime minister Imran Khan was charged with murder.
With this latest case, the PTI founder, who has previously served time in Adiala Jail for other offenses, has become the second former prime minister to be charged with murder, joining Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the founder of the PPP.
Two years after his administration was overthrown by military dictator Ziaul Haq in 1977, then-prime minister Z.A. Bhutto was charged with murder in November 1974 and ultimately hanged.
In addition to terrorism charges, the case against the PTI founder and other leaders at the Ramna police station involves Sections 302 (murder), 324 (murder attempt), 120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy), 114 (abettor present when offence is committed), and other provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Bushra Bibi will attend the next hearing in the £190 million case, the court promised; 96 PTI leaders have arrest orders in the terrorism case.
Citing the FIR, police officials informed Dawn that an unidentified Land Cruiser driver had crashed into Rangers members with the purpose to kill them at the request of Imran Khan and other PTI leaders. Consequently, two people were wounded and three were martyred.
According to lawyers and prosecution department sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, the case was a traffic accident rather than a murder, and the FIR ought to have been filed under Section 322 of the PPC rather than Section 302.
After the investigators was able to prove that there was hard proof that the driver meant to kill the security guards, they noted, the murder charges may be added to the FIR based on additional statements.
They claimed that evidence indicated the driver was under the influence of narcotics, but even if that were true, Section 322 would still apply. Apparently, the deaths were caused by carelessness and irresponsible driving.
The motorist, who lived in the F-10 district of Islamabad, was cited by the police as saying that he was unable to notice the personnel since they abruptly arrived in front of his car. Following the event, the police took the driver into custody close to Shaheen Chowk and took him and the car to the Margalla police station. They stated that he was later moved to an unidentified place.
Imran Khan was charged by the Balochistani police in June 2023 with murder in connection with the death of Advocate Abdul Razzaq Shar. He was released from the case in August 2023.
In the meantime, there are now 19 complaints against PTI demonstrators, including leaders and employees. As of right now, the Secretariat, Kohsar, Margalla, Karachi Company, and Tarnol police stations have each received two cases, while the Aabpara, Shahzad Town, Sihala, Khanna, Noon, Nilore, Shams Colony, Ramna, and Banigala police stations have each received one case.
Bushra Bibi will be present at the next hearing.
As the accountability court postponed recording the former prime minister’s and his wife’s statement until December 5, the lawyers for the former PM and his spouse separately promised the court that Bushra Bibi would return to the £190 million corruption reference on the following date.
Responsibility Proceedings in the corruption case in Adiala Jail have resumed under Judge Nasir Javed Rana. Mr. Khan arrived in court during the hearing, but not much was done because the former premier and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were unable to have their remarks recorded under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Bushra Bibi’s defense attorney, Barrister Salman Safdar, submitted a petition asking to be excused from appearing in court. Bushra Bibi would be at the next hearing, he promised the judge.
After his physical remand in a case filed at Rawalpindi’s New Town police station over the protest in September was completed, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) sent Mr. Khan to jail on judicial remand. The court granted judicial remand requests in six more cases involving events that happened on September 28 and October 5.
warrants for arrests
Separately, an ATC issued arrest warrants for 96 PTI leaders, including Ali Amin Gandapur, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Imran Khan, and his wife Bushra Bibi. The warrants were authorized by ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra in relation to a case that was filed at the Kohsar police station.
Incitement, unrest, and other charges under the anti-terrorism law are also part of the case. PTI leaders Shoaib Shaheen, Ali Bukhari, Omar Ayub, Zulfi Bukhari, Faisal Javed, Asad Qaiser, and former president Dr. Arif Alvi are among the prominent suspects.
Additionally, in a case involving the D-Chowk protest, Judge Sipra ordered 19 PTI workers a four-day physical remand. The court also mandated that 93 employees who were detained in a different case be taken to jail for an identity parade. During the hearing, 112 PTI employees were brought before the court.
