ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) of Islamabad sought details of properties owned by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri due to the continuous absence of both the accused in the SSP Asmatullah Junejo attack case.

Both Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri were declared proclaimed offenders a few years ago. The court has started the process of confiscating their properties and as a first step, has sought details of their properties. The court will attach their movable and immovable properties in the second stage and in case the accused do not appear in court, their properties will be confiscated and they will be declared absconders.

ATC judge Shahrukh Arjumand directed the SHO of Secretariat police station to submit details of Khan and Qadri’s properties so proceedings under Criminal Procedure Code’s (CrPC) section 88 for the attachment of properties of persons absconding can be initiated against the suspects.

The court has also issued summons for the then SSP (Operations) Junejo and three other witnesses for recording their statements in the case on July 20.

The court had earlier directed the prosecution to produce witnesses against PTI chief Imran Khan and PAT chairman Tahirul Qadri among others in connection with their alleged involvement in the SSP Junejo attack case.

Khan, Qadri and several others were booked for their alleged involvement in an attack on Mr Junejo during the 2014 sit-in in the capital when the SSP was beaten by protestors on Constitution Avenue. The incident took place on Sept 1, 2014 less than 24 hours into his first day on the job as SSP Operations.

The ATC has already declared Khan and Qadri proclaimed offenders. The orders had come after the police submitted a report stating the suspects could not be arrested.

The ATC had previously allowed an application of the capital police seeking the initiation of the process for declaring both the accused proclaimed offenders. The Secretariat SHO had informed the court that the suspects could not be located and warrants for their arrest could not be executed.

With the court’s permission, the police initiated proceedings under CrPC’s section 87 for proclaiming the accused as absconders against Khan and Qadri after they did not appear before the court.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2017