Islamabad High Court extends PTI chief’s pre-arrest bail till March 21 n Full bench to hear Imran’s plea against TV ban on 13th n Punjab govt has lifted Section 144, LHC told n LHC suspends ban on PTI leader’s live speeches.
QUETTA/ ISLAMABAD/LAHORE - The court of Judicial Magistrate Quetta Thursday issued the non-bailable arrest warrants for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in a case registered against him on the charges of defaming state institutions.
The defamation case against former prime minister was registered with the Bijli Road police station, Quetta. A couple of days ago, the police had registered the case on the complaint of a citizen Abdul Khalil Kakar, who had alleged that Imran Khan made baseless allegations against state institutions.
It was argued in the petition that Imran Khan tried to spread hatred by making unjustified inflammatory speeches against the officers of the state institutions. Imran Khan had also filed an application for protective bail in the Quetta case in the Lahore High Court.
Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday extended the interim bail of PTI’s Chairman Imran Khan till March 21, and directed him to join the investigation process in FIR regarding an attack on PML-N’s Leader Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha.
The court also granted one-time exemption from attendance to PTI chairman. Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the bail case of Imran Khan.
At the outset of hearing, Advocate General Islamabad Jahangir Jadoon informed the court that the PTI’s chief had not joined the investigation process. He said that the accused should let the trial proceed in, at least, one case.
The IHC chief justice remarked that the law would take its own course if Imran Khan didn’t join the investigation process as it had its own consequences. Justice Farooq observed that the court was granting time because Imran Khan had to join the investigation.
Imran Khan’s counsel adopted the stance that no investigation officer had approached his client in this case. At this, the prosecutor said that it was accused who had to appear before the investigation team instead of the IO. The lawyer said that Imran Khan was ready to join the investigation.
After this, the hearing of the case was adjourned till March 21. It may be mentioned that the capital police had registered an FIR against Imran Khan with regard to an attack on Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha during a protest after the decision of the ECP in Toshakhana case.
Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court (LHC) Thursday suspended a ban, imposed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), on broadcast of live and recorded speeches of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan. Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza passed the orders while hearing a petition, filed by the PTI chairman, challenging the Pemra ban on broadcast of his live and recorded speeches. The court also referred the matter to a full bench for further hearing, and issued notices for March 13 to the respondents, including Pemra.
During the proceedings, Imran’s counsel pleaded with the court to set aside the ban for being unconstitutional.
The counsel for Pemra contended that the matter did not fall under the jurisdiction of the court. He submitted that a five-member bench had already heard an identical matter, a few days ago, adding that the matter should also be sent to it.
The court, after hearing arguments of the parties, reserved its verdict for sometime.
Later, the court suspended the ban and referred the matter to a full bench for further hearing. On March 5, Pemra had imposed a ban on airing of speeches of the PTI chairman due to his provocative statements against the state institutions.
‘SECTION 144’
The Lahore High Court (LHC) was informed on Thursday that the Punjab government had lifted ban on protests, demonstrations and rallies in the provincial capital. Advocate General Punjab (AGP) Shan Gul made the statement before Justice Muhammad Waheed Khan who was hearing a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Hammad Azhar challenging the ban imposed by the government on protests, rallies and other such activities under Section 144 of the Code of the Criminal Procedure.
The AGP submitted that the government had lifted Section 144. He further defended the imposition of Section 144 in the provincial capital and submitted that yesterday was a sensitive day. At this, the court disposed of the petition for being ineffective in the light of the AGP’s statement.
The Punjab Home Department on Wednesday banned all kinds of protests, demonstrations and rallies in the provincial capital for a week. The ban had been imposed under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal procedure due to “overall security situation” in the wake of recent spate of terrorism and threat alerts