ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Terrorism Court of Islamabad has quashed the complaint filed by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif that had blamed the top leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for the killing of some Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) workers in violence during the 2014 sit-in in Islamabad.

Terming the complaint baseless, a detailed verdict of the court quashed it and highlighted that after its filing, Mr Qureshi did not pursue the case with the police nor did he ever provide a list of evidence to substantiate allegations against the PML-N leadership, including then prime minister Nawaz Sharif, former ministers Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Khawaja Saad Rafique and former chief minister of Punjab Shehbaz Sharif. Others who were named in the complaint included former acting inspector general of Islamabad Police Khalid Khattak and other officials of the police and the district administration of Islamabad.

The court noted that the “matter was thoroughly interrogated and the police came to the conclusion that there was an intention to occupy state buildings and attack security officials on the part of the protesters, who resorted to assault. As a consequence several police personnel sustained injuries. The application/complaint was found baseless, without merit.”

ATC Judge Raja Jawad Abbas Hassan further noted in the court verdict that “notice of the cancellation report was given to complainant Shah Mehmood Qureshi, however, despite repeated service complainant failed to put up appearance before the court.

ATC says complainant Qureshi failed to provide evidence

“The record indicates that despite repeated notices under section 160 criminal procedure code neither the complainant appeared before the investigation officer nor produced evidence in support of allegations levelled in the complaint,” the order said, adding that the list of witnesses or evidence could not be produced before the ATC.

It observed that “no evidence whatsoever was placed before investigation officer to establish presence of accused persons at scene of crime. Furthermore, nothing ostensible has come on record to establish that accused persons resorted to any kind of firing upon political workers or used their authority to order direct firing upon the political workers gathering at D-Chowk.”

“The cancellation [of complaint] report submitted… on April 27, 2015, however, till to date complainant party or their accomplices had not challenged the veracity of said order before the appropriate forum,” the court verdict stated.

Moreover, the court order stated that the complainant did not bring to record anything to substantiate the allegations of police’s mala fide.

“All the above mentioned facts and circumstances have brought this court to the conclusion that no incriminating material in shape of cogent evidence having intrinsic value has been brought on record to indicate commission of crime. This court finds itself in agreement with the cancellation report,” the order said.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2020