Imran Khan approaches IHC to evade arrest

Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, Pakistan’s former prime minister, has decided to approach Islamabad High Court (IHC)—seeking immunity against his arrest in a terror case. 

In the latest chapter of the tense struggle for power with Pakistan’s current government since Imran Khan's ouster, Islamabad police registered a terrorism case against him on Sunday night.     

According to details, PTI lawyer Faisal Chaudhry stated that the party's legal team will file the plea in IHC on Imran Khan's behalf after government charged the former leader under “terrorism act”. 

As per first information report (FIR), the case has been registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for threatening an additional sessions judge and senior police officers of the Islamabad Police at a rally in Islamabad’s F-9 Park. 

Police said in a charge report that Khan had threatened the officials. 

“The way Imran Khan made his speech and the threats he made led to fear and terror among the police, judiciary and the common people and it harmed the peace of country,” they wrote in the report.

On Saturday, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) banned the live coverage of Imran’s speeches.  

Pakistan govt sunk to new low: Imran Khan 

On his official twitter handle, the cricketer-turned politician, then, hit out at the Shehbaz Sharif led-government for banning the live telecast of his speeches on TV, saying that the government has sunk to a new low.

This is not only a gross violation of freedom of speech but also negatively affects the digital media industry and the livelihoods of many. What they need to understand is that no matter what they do, they cannot suppress the will of the people which is Haqeeqi Azadi.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) August 21, 2022

Hours after news of the charge broke, hundreds of Khan’s supporters gathered outside his residence in Islamabad in an effort to prevent his arrest. 

Supporters gathered at Khan’s palatial residence on the outskirts of the capital city and chanted slogans against the current government.

It is pertinent to mention here, since Imran Khan was ousted from power in April, he has held boisterous rallies castigating the government. The former cricketer alleged that there was a foreign conspiracy plotted in the United States (US) to overthrow his government with the help of the opposition parties. 

He, however, maintained his strong political base and gained momentum in local elections.