ISLAMABAD: The Islam­abad High Court on Thurs­day sought a report from the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing former prime minister Imran Khan in the FIR registered against him under terrorism charges for hurling threats at a sessions judge and top police officials.

An IHC division bench, comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, heard the PTI chief’s petition seeking quashment of the FIR.

A special prosecutor told the court that Imran Khan had joined the investigation.

Justice Minallah recalled that the court had made a query to the investigation whether or not the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) could have been invoked in this case since the only evidence with police was a speech made by Imran Khan at a rally last month.

The prosecutor contended that the allegations against Mr Khan were of a “serious nature”. According to him, hur­ling threats at senior pol­ice officials like the inspector general and the deputy inspector general and a judge is a “very serious offence”.

The prosecutor read out the text of Mr Khan’s speech before the court and said his utterances attracted Section 6 of the ATA. The court reminded him that the PTI chief was already facing contempt proceedings over the speech and advised him not to mix up matters.

Justice Athar Minallah observed that such utterances cannot terrorise the inspector general and adjourned further hearing until the 19th.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2022