Imran, PTI leaders acquitted in Azadi March case

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: A session’s court on Monday acquitted former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan along with other PTI leaders in cases registered at Karachi Company police station related to the Azadi March.

Judicial Magistrate Mureed Abbas announced the verdict reserved earlier on plea seeking acquittal of Imran Khan, Faisal Javed, Ali Nawaz Awan, Saifullah Niazi, Zartaj Gul and Asad Umar. Advocate Naeem Panjutha, Sardar Masroof and Amna Ali appeared in court to present arguments for the acquittal petitions.

Asad Umar and Saifullah Niazi were present in court while Faisal Javed and Zartaj Gul moved pleas seeking exemption from personal appearance before the court. Advocate Panjutha argued that Imran Khan was accused under Section 109, suggesting the case was instigated at his behest, and that only the authority enforcing Section 144 had the right to file such a case. He contended that the FIR was registered by an unauthorized person, making the basis of the case invalid and unfit for prosecution.

Furthermore, Panjutha pointed out that no video evidence implicating Imran Khan was presented, and that FIRs were filed even for peaceful protests. He emphasized that multiple similar cases had been registered against Imran Khan in different police stations, all of which resulted in his acquittal. Sardar

Masroof argued that FIRs registered by unauthorized individuals are illegal and cannot be the basis for a case. He cited an Islamabad High Court order to support his argument. After hearing the arg uments, the court reserved its decision and later announced the acquittal of Imran Khan, Faisal Javed, Ali Nawaz Awan, Saifullah Niazi, Zartaj Gul, and Asad Umar.

A session court in Islamabad also acquitted Imran Khan and others in a case registered at Kohsar police station related to protests and vandalism. Judicial Magistrate Shehzad Khan allowed pleas seeking acquittal of Imran Khan, Sheikh Rashid, Faisal Javed Khan, Ali Nawaz Awan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Qasim Suri, Raja Khurram Nawaz, and other accused. The court dismissed the charges of violating Section 144 during the Azadi March.

Lawyers Sardar Masroof and Amna Ali argued that the accusations against Imran Khan and others were baseless and politically motivated. The court, after completing the arguments, reserved and later announced the acquittal of the accused in this case as well. It may be mentioned here that on May 15, the Islamabad District and Sessions Court had also acquitted PTI founder Imran Khan in a case registered at Khanna police station during the Azadi March.