The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Friday suspended non-bailable arrest warrants issued for PTI chairman Imran Khan by a Quetta judicial magistrate in a case of hate speech against state institutions and officers.
Based on a first information report (FIR) filed against Imran at the Bijli Road police station in Quetta. The court of Judicial Magistrate-1 Bashir Ahmed Bazai issued arrest warrants for him on Thursday.
The magistrate also ordered the police to arrest and present the PTI leader in court. A police team comprised of SSP Investigation Muhammad Umar, DSP CIA Abdul Sattar Achakzai, Inspector Abdul Hameed, and others was formed in response to court orders.
Over the past few days, the party has been on high watch. Sending “red alert” messages to Zaman Park to avoid arrest. On Sunday, Islamabad police tried to arrest Imran for a Toshakhana charge hearing but failed.
The PTI petitioned the Balochistan High Court (BHC) early on Friday morning to have Imran’s arrest warrants canceled. In addition, it demanded that the FIR filed against him be dismissed.
Justice Zaheer-Ud-Din Kakar of the BHC conducted the hearing today. And suspended the arrest warrants for two weeks after hearing the petitioner’s attorney’s arguments.
In addition, he sent notices to the Quetta police inspector general. Director of investigations, senior superintendent (legal), station house officer, and the complainant.
The hearing was then postponed for two weeks.
According to the PTI, a Quetta police team allegedly arrived at Zaman Park earlier today to arrest Imran.
The petition
Imran’s petition was submitted by his attorney, Syed Iqbal Shah.
The PTI petitioned that Imran’s case at the Bijli Road police station in Quetta was invalid. Because the claimed offence was outside its jurisdiction.
The PTI characterized the actions of the Balochistan police as “illegal” and “unlawful” and stated that the petitioner had “no other effective, expedient, or alternative remedy available to him other than to submit the instant petition for quashing” to address his complaint.
The petition also claimed that Section 20 (malicious code) of the 2016 Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (Peca) did not apply to Imran because he did not “intentionally and publicly display [or] transmit any information through any information system.”
The FIR
Abdul Khalil Kakar, a citizen, filed a police report against the former prime minister on March 6 at the Bijli Road police station in Quetta.
Kakar stated in the FIR, that Imran addressed the public on March 5 from his residence in Zaman Park, Lahore, and made “baseless allegations against the state institutions.”
He claimed that the former premier’s remarks amounted to “destroying public calm and order.” According to the complainant, Imran has damaged the institution’s credibility.
The complaint cited Pakistan Penal Code sections 124-A (sedition), 153-A (giving provocation with the intent to cause a disturbance if rioting is committed. If not committed), and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief).
The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016’s Section 20 (Offenses against the dignity of a natural person) was also included.
