RAWALPINDI: Farrukh Imtiaz Khokhar, son of Imtiaz Ali Khokhar alias Taji Khokhar, who has already been placed on the fourth schedule of Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), was arrested on terrorism charges on Tuesday.

Police said the terrorism case was registered against Imtiaz Khokhar on the complaint of police Sub-inspector (SI) Arshad Kaleem, currently posted to the Airport police station.

The complainant said in the FIR that he along with his subordinates was on a patrolling duty near Khokhar Road when he received information that Imtiaz Khokhar, a resident of Lulial, had gathered a large number of people outside his house on the pretext of a medical camp on September 14, 2020.

He said after he inquired from his colleagues, it transpired that Imtiaz Khokhar had been placed on the fourth schedule of ATA since October 4, 2018.

The FIR said photographs of the gathering were also posted on social media. Therefore, the complainant said, Imtiaz Khokhar had violated the fourth schedule of ATA which prohibits the fourth schedulers from any such activity.

Suspect already on Schedule IV arranged a gathering of people outside his residence in violation of law, says FIR

Imtiaz Khokhar and his father had been placed on the fourth schedule by the Rawalpindi police.

According to the ATA, those placed on the fourth schedule cannot leave their respective district without intimating the concerned police and have to submit surety bonds to the police.

The two Khokhars had submitted surety bonds worth Rs500,000 each with the Airport police on January 2, 1919.They also have restrictions on joining public gatherings and owning a bank account.

In addition, any individual placed on the fourth schedule cannot possess arms licences. The arm license if already issued shall be deemed to have been cancelled and the arms shall be deposited in the nearest police station, failing which the arms shall be confiscated and holders of such arms shall be liable for punishment.

According to the law, such individuals also cannot be issued passports or allowed to travel abroad.

According to sources, the police have placed the names of Taji Khokhar and his son on top of the list of 25 people put on the terror watch list.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2020