The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Monday dismissed a first information report (FIR) filed against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for making comments against state institutions and their officers during a speech, a private TV channel reported. A two-member bench comprising BHC Chief Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Gul Hasan Tareen announced the verdict on the petition filed by the Insaf Lawyers Forum’s (ILF) Iqbal Shah.
The high court also dismissed the arrest warrants against the deposed prime minister.
The FIR against the PTI chief, who is currently serving a three-year sentence after being convicted in the Toshakhana case, was registered at Bijli Road Police Station.
“Alhamdulillah, the court has dismissed the FIR registered against Imran Khan in Bijli Road police station in Quetta, once again Imran Khan has been vindicated in a false case, congratulations to all Pakistan on the victory of justice,” Khan’s counsel Naeem Haider Panjutha wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The case was registered against Khan on March 5 under multiple sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA). The FIR, registered by Abdul Khalil Kakar, included Sections 153A, 124A, and 505 of the PPC and Section 20 of the PECA.
Kakar had alleged that the PTI chief’s statement was an attempt to destroy public peace and order. During the speech, the PTI chairman had come down hard on the “state institutions” after a team of Islamabad police had arrived at his Zaman Park residence to arrest him in the Toshakhana case. The former PM vented his rage while addressing party workers and supporters at Zaman Park residence in Lahore who participated in the “Jail Bharo Tehreek” (voluntary arrest movement).