Daily Times

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) here on Monday extended the interim bail of PTI Chairman Imran Khan till September 20, in a case of threatening a woman judge during a public rally in the capital.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman appeared before the court of Judge Raja Jawad Abbas. At the outset of hearing, Imran Khan’s counsel Babar Awan informed the court that his client had joined the investigations as admitted by the investigating officer (IO) that his (Imran’s) lawyer had submitted a reply.

The IO told the court that three notices were sent to Imran Khan to appear in person, but he had not yet joined the investigation. However, he submitted a statement through a lawyer.

The judge observed that though the statement was received by the IO, but it was not made part of the record, which proved his (IO’s) dishonesty. He asked the prosecutor as to why the joint investigation team (JIT) was formed after lapse of many days since the registration of the first information report.

Special Prosecutor Raja Rizwan Abbasi argued that they were now talking about joining the investigation of the accused. Only the JIT or the IO had to decide the method of investigation, he said.

The judge asked the special prosecutor to read out Section 160 and tell how the presence of Imran Khan was necessary during investigation. The prosecutor read out Section 160.

Babar Awan argued that he also wanted to read the same section, in which it was written that the IO could call witnesses, while Imran Khan was not a witness in the case. He said the court had the authority to take action against the IO for faulty investigation as to why he did not write in the supplementary that the accused’s lawyer had submitted the statement.

He said they had offered the IO in the morning to ask questions what he wanted. He had sent the statement to the JIT and the investigating officer twice, Babar Awan added. The judge said that the case of threatening the additional sessions judge (Zeba Chaudhry) was also being heard by the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

After listening to the arguments, the court subsequently extended Imran Khan’s interim bail till September 20. It may be noted that the IHC had stopped the police from submitting the challan of the case and ordered Imran Khan to join the investigation before the police.