Imran Khan Likely To Get Relief In His Cases: Saqib Bashir

Imran Khan Likely To Get Relief In His Cases: Saqib Bashir
Journalist Saqib Bashir has said that there are a lot of indications that show that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan will get relief in the terrorism and contempt of court cases against him.

Bashir, who is also the President of the Islamabad High Court Journalists Association, made this assertion during an appearance on Naya Daur TV's show 'Islamabad Buzz' on Friday, where he responded to Waqas Ali's questions about the cases against Imran.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0Jn4HP2MRI

Bashir said that the judge of the Anti-Terrorism Court has said to the police and the prosecution that there are already some previous Supreme Court judgements available, which can be applied to this case as well. "They said that you have to tell where the Kalashnikov was fired from, and what act was committed after the statement that makes it clear that it was an act of terror," he explained.

Similarly, he said that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had been asking similar questions in relation to the contempt of court case filed against Khan for threatening female judge Zeba Chaudhry. "The IHC said 'tell us if any act was committed after the threat that Imran Khan made to the civil servants," he said. He said that in the event that Imran gave an unconditional apology, he could very easily be given relief.

Bashir added that the prosecution's case is dependent on proving that after the initial threat was made, there is now danger that the fear will be spread, and anyone in the public can hear the remarks and react and commit a crime. He said the IHC required the prosecution to show if the Inspector General Islamabad, or an investigating officer, or anybody else was attacked or hit, and if there was any such thing on the record.

Regarding the anti-terrorism case against Khan, he said that the Chief Justice had said that the anti-terrorism law was a special law, and it should remain so. The CJ had said that this law was specifically for the public, or police or army officers who had become targets of terrorism. "Don't make the use of this law so common that it no longer bears any meaning or consequences, and people stop fearing it," he said.

Bashir also commented on Maryam Nawaz and Captain Safdar's involvement in the Avenfield Case, and said that they were propositioning for an acquittal in that case. However, Bashir said that Maryam's case was very strong and she could easily get relief.