Trial under army law looms over Imran in two cases in Lahore
Pakistan
Cases include attacks on Corps Commander house, Askari tower
LAHORE (Dunya News) – PTI chief Imran Khan made one of the party leaders nominated for investigation in two terrorism cases lodged under the army law, sources said on Tuesday.
Sources said Mr Khan, among 50 other PTI activists and leaders including Ijaz Chaudhry, Hammad Azhar, Umar Sarfraz Cheema, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Murad Saeed, Asad Umar, Dr Yasmin Rashid, and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, had been booked for terrorism against Lahore’s Corps Commander House and Gulberg Askari tower.
As many as 19 charges including terrorism were invoked in the cases lodged, sources added. “Investigation police will hand all the accused over to the Pakistan Army,” sources revealed.
Earlier, the PTI activists had reportedly stormed defence installments including the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and Lahore’s Corps Commander House during violent protests against the arrest of Mr Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.
It drew ire and condemnation from the government as well as the Army’s top brass, which vowed to bring those involved in heinous crimes against the military installations and personal/equipment to justice through trials under relevant laws of Pakistan including Pakistan Army Act and Official Secret Act.
At the Corps Commander Conference convened earlier, the ISPR stated, "Based on the irrefutable evidence collected so far, Armed Forces are well aware of the planners, instigators, abettors and perpetrators of these attacks and attempts to create distortions in this regard are absolutely futile".
"The Forum resolved that restraint will no longer be exercised against perpetrators, spoilers and violators who attack military installations and setups under any circumstances," the ISPR added.
On the other hand, PM Shehbaz on Saturday had directed the authorities to arrest those behind vandalism of the Corps Commander House (formerly Jinnah house) within 72 hours. “All the criminals and attackers should be arrested within next 72 hours,” he said.
However, Mr Khan later denied the party's involvement in attacks and laid the blame at "strange" people's door who, according to him, had hatched a planned conspiracy to attack security installations. He said the PTI had enough video evidence of armed arsonists inciting protesters.
"Other people are involved in the attacks on defence installments," he claimed. He said he wanted an independent inquiry into the attacks.
