ISLAMABAD: The joint investigation team established to probe a terrorism charge against former prime minister Imran Khan over threats to a sessions judge stands dissolved after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) removed the terror charge against the former premier earlier this month.

The officers of the Islamabad police told Dawn that the JIT had submitted a challan to the Anti-terrorism Court (ATC) after Imran Khan appeared before it to record his statement in the case.

The team had included 7 ATA (Anti-Terrorism Act) along with sections 186, 188, 504, and 506, in the charge sheet against Imran Khan. However, following the IHC order on Sept 19, the terror charge was removed.

According to police and a former prosecution department officer Azhar Shah, the JIT was abolished following the court order and now the case would go to trial in a sessions court under sections 186, 188, 504, and 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Following abolition of terror charges, case will be tried in sessions court under PPC

Consequently, the ATC will send the challan to a district and sessions court, they added.

“It is the discretion of the court, either to accept the challan submitted by the [disbanded] JIT or ask the investigation officer to submit a new challan under sections 186, 188, 504, and 506,” the officers and the former head of the prosecution department added.

However, the IO will need to submit a report to the sessions court, informing that the terror charge was removed from the charge sheet and as a result, the challan was referred to the sessions court for the hearing, they went on to add.

According to the officials, the police will also need to inform the court that the challan was made and submitted by the JIT —which has been abolished — to the ATC.

They added that it would be the discretion of the sessions judge to ask for a new challan or accept the one already submitted to the anti-terrorism court by the defunct JIT.

The PTI chief was booked for terrorism under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act for making controversial remarks against Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry and officials of the Islamabad Police during a rally in Islamabad on Aug 20.

Subsequently, a JIT was constituted under Section 9 of the Anti-Terrorism Act on August 23. It was headed by SP Investigation and comprised SDPO Margalla, SHO Margalla, and a representative of the Intelligence Bureau.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2022