Imran Khan acquitted in Azadi March case

ISLAMABAD: A session’s court on Monday acquitted former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan along with other PTI leaders in cases registered at Karachi Company police station related to the Azadi March.

Judicial Magistrate Mureed Abbas announced the verdict reserved earlier on plea seeking acquittal of Imran Khan, Faisal Javed, Ali Nawaz Awan, Saifullah Niazi, Zartaj Gul and Asad Umar.

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Advocate Naeem Panjutha, Sardar Masroof and Amna Ali appeared in court to present arguments for the acquittal petitions.

Asad Umar and Saifullah Niazi were present in court while Faisal Javed and Zartaj Gul moved pleas seeking exemption from personal appearance before the court.

Advocate Panjutha argued that Imran Khan was accused under Section 109, suggesting the case was instigated at his behest, and that only the authority enforcing Section 144 had the right to file such a case.

He contended that the FIR was registered by an unauthorised person, making the basis of the case invalid and unfit for prosecution.

Furthermore, Panjutha pointed out that no video evidence implicating Imran Khan was presented, and that FIRs were filed even for peaceful protests. He emphasised that multiple similar cases had been registered against Imran Khan in different police stations, all of which resulted in his acquittal.

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Sardar Masroof argued that FIRs registered by unauthorized individuals are illegal and cannot be the basis for a case. He cited an Islamabad High Court order to support his argument.

After hearing the arguments, the court reserved its decision and later announced the acquittal of Imran Khan, Faisal Javed, Ali Nawaz Awan, Saifullah Niazi, Zartaj Gul, and Asad Umar. – INP