ISLAMABAD: The police on Thursday registered a case under the anti-terrorism law and other charges against a group of lawyers accused of “attacking and manhandling” Khawar Maneka on the court premises, as he was leaving the judicial complex after his appearance in the Iddat case a day earlier.

The case was registered at the Ramna police station under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act along with sections 324, 504, 186, 506ii, 147, 149, 341, 353, and 382 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Interestingly, the FIR was not lodged by the aggrieved, but an inspector of the capital police, Imtiaz Ahmed. It nominated six lawyers and 20 to 25 unknown people, including some women.

The FIR said that lawyers and some other people gathered outside the courtroom of the judge at the District and Session Courts in G-11/4 shortly after the hearing of two cases against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, and started chanting slogans in favour of Mr Khan. They had started gathering outside the court as Khawar Maneka attended proceedings in the Iddat case heard by Judge Shahrukh Arjumand.

FIR nominates six lawyers among over 20 people; PTI leader says have obtained pre-arrest bail

As per the FIR, a lawyer threatened and attacked Mr Maneka when he came outside the courtroom and punched him in the neck. Other lawyers also attacked and punched him and as a result he fell to the ground, it added.

The FIR said that the lawyers and private persons, including women, intercepted Khawar Maneka to beat him up and also rioted and provoked others to do the same. They also attempted to snatch weapons from two constables, the FIR said, adding that the suspects also tortured the witnesses who came to the court. According to the FIR, the suspects nominated in the case also tore the uniform of the police officials.

Due to their acts, fear, panic and terror spread among the officials, witnesses, complainants, and people present at the court, it said, adding that the reason behind the act was to influence the court’s order through spreading fear.

In a statement, PTI leader Amir Masood Mughal said the registration of a “false terrorism case” against the legal team of Imran Khan was a conspiracy hatched by the ‘illegitimate’ government. “Lawyers and activists cannot be intimidated by such conspiracies,” he added.

“Mohsin Naqvi as the [caretaker] chief minister of Punjab registered false cases against lawyers and workers and now he has brought the same team into the capital which is highly condemnable,” Mr Mughal said.

On Wednesday, Khawar Manika used extremely vulgar language against Imran Khan during his court appearance and an unknown person slapped him on his return from the court, he said, adding that for this slap the police registered a terrorism case against the legal team of Imran Khan at the “behest of the prime minister and interior minister”. The legal team has obtained a pre-arrest bail from the anti-terrorism court through their counsel, he added.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2024