ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan was booked in a murder case in connection with the death of paramilitary personnel who were run over by a speeding vehicle on the Srinagar Highway last week during a protest by the PTI.

With this new case, the PTI founder, already imprisoned in Adiala Jail in different cases, has joined an exclusive club of two — alongside PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto — as the second ex-PM to be booked for murder.

In November 1974, then-prime minister Z.A. Bhutto was booked in a murder case, which eventually led to his hanging, two years after his government was ousted by military dictator Ziaul Haq in 1977.

The case registered at the Ramna police station against the PTI founder and other leaders includes Section 302 (murder), Section 324 (murder attempt) Section 120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy), Section 114 (abettor present when offence is committed), and other sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, besides terrorism charges.

Court assured Bushra Bibi will attend next hearing in £190m matter; arrest warrants out for 96 PTI leaders in terrorism case

Police officials, while quoting the FIR, told Dawn that at the behest of Imran Khan and other PTI leaders, an unidentified driver of a Land Cruiser rammed into the Rangers’ personnel with the intention to kill them. As a result, three personnel were martyred while two were injured.

Sources in the prosecution department and lawyers, on condition of anonymity, said that it was a case of a road accident, and not murder, and that the FIR should have been registered under Section 322 of the PPC instead of Section 302.

They added that the murder charges could be added to the FIR in light of supplementary statements after the investigation was able to establish that there was concrete evidence that the driver intended to kill the security personnel.

Apparently, the deaths were caused by negligence and reckless driving, they said, claiming that some reports suggested that the driver was under the influence of drugs, and even if it was true then it was still a case of Section 322.

The police officials quoted the driver — a resident of Islamabad’s F-10 sector — as saying that he was not able to see the personnel as they suddenly appeared in front of his vehicle. After the incident, the police arrested the driver near Shaheen Chowk and shifted him to Margalla police station along with the vehicle. Later, he was shifted to an unknown location, they added.

In June 2023, the Balochistan police booked Imran Khan in a murder case registered over the killing of Advocate Abdul Razzaq Shar. In August 2023, he was discharged from the case.

Meanwhile, the number of cases against PTI protesters, including leaders and workers, rose to 19. Hitherto, two cases each have been registered at Secretariat and Kohsar, Margalla, Karachi Company, and Tarnol police stations, while one case each has been registered at Aabpara, Shahzad Town, Sihala, Khanna, Noon, Nilore, Shams Colony, Ramna and Banigala police stations.

Bushra Bibi to attend next hearing

Separately, the counsel representing the ex-PM and his wife assured the accountability court that Bushra Bibi would rejoin the £190 million corruption reference on the next date, as the accountability court deferred recording of their statement till December 5.

Accountability Judge Nasir Javed Rana resumed proceedings in the corruption reference in Adiala Jail. During the hearing, Mr Khan appeared in court but the proceedings saw little progress as statements of the ex-premier and his wife Bushra Bibi under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code could not be recorded.

Defence counsel Barrister Salman Safdar, representing Bushra Bibi, filed a petition requesting she be exempted from appearance. He assured the court that Bushra Bibi would attend the next hearing.

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) sent Mr Khan to jail on judicial remand following the completion of his physical remand in a case registered at Rawalpindi’s New Town police station related to Sept­ember’s protest. The court approved the request for judicial remand in six additional cases, linked to incidents that occurred on Sept 28 and Oct 5.

Arrest warrants

Separately, an ATC issued arrest warrants for 96 PTI leaders, including Imran Khan, his spouse Bushra Bibi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra approved the warrants in connection with a case registered at the Kohsar police station.

The case involves allegations of incitement, unrest, and other charges under the anti-terrorism law. Prominent accused include PTI leaders Shoaib Shaheen, Ali Bukhari, Omar Ayub, Zulfi Bukhari, Faisal Javed, Asad Qaiser, and former president Dr Arif Alvi.

Furthermore, Judge Sipra granted a four-day physical remand for 19 PTI workers in a case related to the D-Chowk protest. Additionally, the court ordered that 93 workers arrested in a separate case be sent to jail for an identity parade. A total of 112 PTI workers were presented before the court during the hearing.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2024