SC summons Imran on July 24 in lawyer murder case.
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE - Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Thursday warned that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) might arrest former prime minister Imran Khan at the inquiry stage if he fails to cooperate with the investigators about the cipher controversy. The FIA has summoned Chairman PTI Imran Khan on July 25 in Islamabad in connection with its ongoing probe into making public a confidential diplomatic cipher and then keeping it in his possession. The minister took to Twitter to say that the agency will make final recommendations, based on evidence and in the light of the statement of PTI chief, as to who are complicit in the crime and against whom criminal cases should be filed. The remarks of the minister came a day after he during a press conference had said that Khan would face criminal proceedings under the Official Secrets Act on charges of making public the “controversial” cipher. A day earlier, Imran Khan’s ex-principal secretary Azam Khan also gave a confessional statement before a magistrate claiming that Khan leaked the secret cipher last year to create a false narrative and gain political mileage. The cable was written by then Pakistani Ambassador to the US Asad Majeed to the Foreign Office following his meeting with Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu.
Meanwhile, Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar says baseless narrative on cipher damaged Pakistan’s relations with its friendly country.
Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Thursday, he said it was unfortunate that PTI Chairman used cipher for political gains. He reiterated government’s resolve to carry out investigation of the cipher case strictly in accordance with law. He said enquiry and investigation of the case will be on merit. The minister said former Law Minister misused the cipher on the floor of the House. He said government followed the course of law and enquiry was initiated by FIA. Referring to ex-principal secretary Azam Khan’s confessional statement against former prime minister Imran Khan, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said on Thursday that an accused can be sentenced to up to 14 years in jail for using classified documents for vested interest. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Thursday served a notice to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan at Zaman Park for investigation regarding the cipher. The FIA was probing a cipher investigation in this regard chairman Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan has been summoned on July 25 to appear before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT).
The CTW Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency served the summons to Imran Khan at his Zaman Park’s residence here in Lahore. The FIA team came from Islamabad to serve the notice at Zaman Park, the former prime minister’s residence in Lahore. FIA through the served summon has directed former Prime Minister Imran Khan to appear in person before the JIT on July 25 at 12 noon.Chairman PTI has been summoned to the FIA headquarters to investigate the cipher scandal and has been directed to bring relevant documents and evidence with him.
The FIA notice said that an investigation was underway against the Pakistan Tehreek- e-Insaaf chairman for using the cipher for his political purposes and the FIA’s Joint Investigation Team is probing the matter. According to the notice, the JIT is probing the allegations of Imran Khan endangering national security and state interests by disclosingcipher in his public rally. The Supreme Court of Pakistan Thursday summoned Imran Khan Chairman Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday (July 24) at 10:30am regarding his application against a case related to murder of senior lawyer Abdul Razzaq Shar in Quetta. A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Yahya Afridi conducted hearing of the former prime minister’s appeal against the order of a division bench of the Balochistan High Court (BHC).
A division bench of the BHC comprising Chief Justice Naeem Afghan and Justice Aamir Nawaz Rana on 15-06-23 had dismissed the PTI chief’s application to quash an FIR registered on the complaint of the slain lawyer’s son. In the FIR Imran Khan was nominated regarding the assassination of Shar. Shar was shot dead by unidentified assailants near Alamo Chowk on Airport Road on June 06, this year. According to the police, the senior Supreme Court lawyer received 15 bullet injuries on his body and died on the spot. Two days later, the police booked Imran Khan in the case on the complaint of the lawyer’s son. The murdered lawyer, Shar, had filed a constitutional petition against the former PM in the BHC, seeking proceedings against the former premier under Article 6 (high treason) of the Constitution. On the last hearing on July 4 a two-judge bench comprising Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan and Justice Ayesha A Malik Justice Ijaz had declined to grant stay against the BHC order, and referred the matter to the chief justice for constituting a three-member bench.
During the hearing, Justice Afridi said, “To get relief the petitioner has to appear in person and surrender before the court.” Advocate Sardar Latif Khosa, representing Imran Khan, said his client could appear before the bench within an hour. However, Justice Afridi asked him to wait for the Balochistan government’s reply, adding that it would suffice for the PTI chief to appear on Monday at 10:30am. Amanullah Kanrani, appearing on behalf of the complainant, informed that the main issue was the PTI chairman’s refusal to appear before the Joint Interrogation Team (JIT) to probe into the incident. However, Khosa contended; “We do not accept the JIT”. At this, Justice Naqvi asked Khosa to take into account “the seriousness of the matter at hand” and said that the petitioner must appear before the bench. Justice Afridi further inquired why the PTI chief had not approached the relevant forum for getting the FIR quashed first. Khosa told the court that the matter was first raised at the BHC and the apex court has been approached only afterwards. Justice Naqvi observed that a copy of the FIR was not attached with the application and noted that a key argument was missing from the plea as well. “Your application should state that the case against chairman PTI is baseless,” he said. He also wondered what the merit of the request was when the investigating officer (IO) has not nominated the PTI chief as the accused. Khosa told the bench that the case was registered against his client on provisions pertaining to terrorism. “The IO’s stance however is that the PTI chief is not cooperating with the investigation,” observed Justice Naqvi. The prosecutor general, Balochistan clarified that no non-bailable arrest warrants had been issued against the PTI chief. Justice Hilali questioned still the complainants hold the PTI chief responsible. Khosa told that the deceased lawyer’s widow has said that the family does not think he had any involvement in the killing, adding that Shar’s step-son had filed the case against the PTI chief. Kanrani informed that he is representing the son, and not the widow of the deceased.