Pakistan: Ousted PM Imran Khan Booked Under Anti-Terrorism Act Over Comments At Islamabad Rally

New Delhi: Ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was booked under the country’s Anti-Terrorism Act over his comments during a rally in Islamabad where he reportedly threatened the police, judiciary and other state institutions, reported news agency PTI. The case surfaced hours after Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Sunday said that the government was mulling to file a case against 69-year-old Khan over his provocative speech delivered on Saturday night in the F-9 Park of the national capital.

Earlier at a press conference, Interior Minister Sanaullah said that the government was holding legal consultations before launching any case against Khan. He alleged that Khan’s speech was a continuation of a trend to target the army and other institutions.

As per the news agency which had access to the copy of first information report, the case was registered at Islamabad’s Margalla Police Station at 10 pm on Saturday under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (punishment for the acts of terrorism). 

The FIR reads that Khan in his speech had “terrorised and threatened top police officials and a respected female additional sessions judge” with the aim to stop them from performing their functions and abstain from pursuing any action against any individual related to his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party (PTI).

It further states that fear and uncertainty was spread among the police, judges and the nation following Khan’s speech. 

In his address, the former premier had threatened to file cases against top police officials, a woman magistrate, Election Commission of Pakistan and political opponents over the treatment meted out to his aide Shahbaz Gill, who was arrested last week on charges of sedition.

Following his provocative speech on Saturday night, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) banned satellite television channels from broadcasting Khan’s live speeches. 

The country’s electronic media watchdog, in a communique issued on Saturday said that TV channels despite repeated warnings had failed to implement a time-delay mechanism to stop the broadcast of material against “state institutions”.

READ HERE: Pakistan Media Body Bans Live Broadcast Of Former PM Imran Khan’s Speeches, Case Filed

“It has been observed that Mr Imran Khan, Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, in his speeches/statements is continuously alleging state institutions by levelling baseless allegations and spreading hate speech through his provocative statements against state institutions and officers which is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order and is likely to disturb public peace and tranquillity,” it said.

According to the statement, after analysing the content of Khan’s speech, it has been observed that the content was aired live by the licensees without an effective time delay mechanism.

The competent authority i.e. Chairman PEMRA in view of the above mentioned background and reasons hereby prohibits broadcast of live speech of Khan on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect, it added.