GILGIT: An anti-terrorism court on Tuesday sentenced PTI leader and former Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister, Khalid Khurshid Khan, to 34 years in prison with Rs600,000 fine for threatening security institutions at a public gathering.
Besides, ATC judge Rehmat Shah ordered the GB inspector general of police to arrest Khurshid Khan and asked the director general of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to block his national identity card.
The court heard arguments from both sides before awarding the prison term to Khurshid Khan for threatening security institutions, the chief secretary and the chief election commissioner during a July 26 rally held at Ittehad Chowk, Gilgit.
During the hearing, his alleged provocative speeches were played as evidence. The case against Khurshid Khan was registered at the Gilgit City Police Station under various sections of Pakistan Penal Code. The former chief minister failed to appear in any of the hearings despite repeated court notices. However, he was given a defence lawyer who argued his case.
PTI’s Khalid Khurshid Khan convicted for threatening security institutions; ATC judge orders blocking of his CNIC
Sources claimed that Khurshid Khan is currently not in Gilgit-Baltistan.
PTI workers and GB office-bearers took to social media to condemn the court order against Mr Khan and announced that the party’s struggle will continue.
Mr Khan was elected to the GB Assembly from Astore district in the 2020 general elections on a PTI ticket.
Later, he was nominated chief minister by the PTI founder and then-prime minister, Imran Khan.
In July 2023, Mr Khan, who also served as PTI’s president in the region, was disqualified by the GB Chief Court for obtaining a licence from the GB Bar Council allegedly on the basis of a fake educational degree.
He lost the coveted position of chief executive.
His disqualification led several PTI legislators to switch sides and ultimately a coalition government emerged in GB with a disgruntled member of PTI, Haji Gulbar Khan, becoming the new chief minister.
In August 2023, police registered a case against Mr Khan for allegedly possessing a fake law degree and the GB Election Commission also disqualified him from holding the office of PTI president.
He was also booked for clashing with the police in Lahore and Islamabad and using government machinery for supporting the PTI protests.
He was also nominated in FIRs registered for allegedly using Gilgit-Baltistan’s police and other resources to protect Imran Khan from possible arrest in Lahore in March 2023.
The action came after the federal government had collected all evidence pointing to the use of GB police force and resources for Imran Khan’s security.
In September this year, the Peshawar High Court granted him protective bail in cases registered against him across different parts of the country.
Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2025
