The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday fixed for hearing an appeal filed by the federal government against the acquittal of former prime minister Imran Khan, ex-defence minister Pervez Khattak, and others in the 2014 Parliament House attack case.
A two-member divisional bench of the IHC, comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, will hear the petition on January 9.
In its petition, the federal government argued that the ATC issued the verdict in haste and avoided the statements of eyewitnesses. Terming the ruling against the law, the petitioner said that there is enough documentary evidence and videos of Khan’s “crime” on record.
The public prosecutors supported the acquittal of Khan against the law, read the appeal.
The case and acquittals
The former prime minister, as well as other party leaders, including President Arif Alvi, Asad Umar, and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, were booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act after being accused of attacking the Parliament House and the office of the Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) during a sit-in staged by the PTI and PAT — under Dr Qadri — in Islamabad in August 2014.
The politicians had marched towards the Parliament and PM House in an attempt to topple the then-Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government. Clashes with the authorities were reported as they made their way towards the destination.
The protest had gone on for more than 100 days.
During the sit-in, protesters beat up then-senior superintendent of police (SSP) Asmatullah Junejo on Constitution Avenue when they attacked the PTV headquarters and parts of the Parliament. A case was then filed against Khan, Qadri, and others for torturing the SSP and five other police officers.
In September 2018, the ATC granted the PTI chief a permanent exemption from appearing before it in cases related to the matter.
Later in October 2020, an anti-terrorism court acquitted the former prime minister in the attack case, while President Alvi was exonerated in March 2022.
Along with President Alvi, the party’s top leaders — Qureshi, Umar, Mehmood, Khattak, Shaukat Yousufzai, Aleem Khan, and Aijaz Chauhdry — were among those declared innocent by the ATC.