[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text dp_text_size=”size-4″]
On Thursday, a joint investigation team (JIT) from Rawalpindi police recorded the statement of Imran Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former Prime Minister. This statement pertained to the cases filed against him regarding the violent incidents that occurred on May 9, 2023.
At the moment, Imran Khan is in Adiala Jail on judicial remand due to the cipher case, which is being handled by a special court established under the Official Secrets Act (OSA). In the previous week, the police had attempted to record Imran’s statement, but he had declined to cooperate without his lawyer present.
Read more :Â Latest Remarks By Sheikh Rasheed Over 9 may events
According to police sources, the JIT, composed of three police superintendents and investigation officers from three police stations, revisited Adiala Jail and took Imran’s statement, with his lawyer, Hamid Khan, present, in a session that lasted approximately one and a half hours.
Imran Khan is facing multiple charges related to the violence on May 9, which erupted across the country following his arrest in a corruption case. The cases registered in Rawalpindi include an attack on the General Headquarters (GHQ) gate, rioting in the office of a sensitive institution, and others.
Additionally, there are 13 different cases related to the May 9 riots in Rawalpindi, which are under separate investigation. According to police sources, in his statement, the PTI chairman refuted the allegations mentioned in the first information reports (FIRs) of these cases.
In a separate development, the Islamabad High Court issued notices to the federation, the law ministry, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) after admitting Imran’s intra-court appeal against the appointment of the special court judge and the jail trial for the cipher case.
A division bench, comprising Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb and Justice Saman Rifat Imtiaz, heard Imran’s intra-court appeal against the decision of a single judge bench from the previous month that upheld the appointment of the special court judge and the jail trial.
During the hearing, the additional attorney general (AAG) informed the bench that the special court judge had been appointed in accordance with the law. Justice Aurangzeb emphasized that this is an era of transparency and open court proceedings, stressing that justice should be seen to be served.
The AAG stated that a summary for the appointment of the judge had been sent by the law ministry to the cabinet, and it was approved. Following the cabinet’s approval, the notification for the judge’s appointment was issued.
PTI’s lawyer, Salman Akram Raja, argued that this was a federal matter, and consultation should have been carried out with the Chief Justice of Pakistan. He also pointed out that during the jail trial, the general public, the families of the accused, and the media were not permitted.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
