ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior is examining a request from the advocate general Islamabad to remove two prosecutors appointed by the previous PTI government who allegedly facilitated the acquittal of President Arif Alvi, former prime minister Imran Khan along with a number of ex-ministers in the Parliament House attack case by making conceding statements before an anti-terrorism court (ATC).

Advocate General Islamabad Barrister Jahangir Khan Jadoon on June 6 wrote a letter to the secretary interior for removal of prosecutors Mian Aamir Sultan Goraya and Fakhra Aamir Sultan who were appointed to prosecute the accused persons nominated in three first information reports (FIRs) registered over the Parliament House and PTV attacks during the 2014 sit-in of the PTI in the federal capital.

The ATC Islamabad on March 15, 2022, acquitted President Alvi, the then prime minister, ministers Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Shafqat Mehmood, Pervaiz Khattak and PTI leaders Saifullah Khan Niazi.

Moreover, estranged party leaders Jahangir Khan Tareen, Abdul Aleem Khan and others were also acquitted because the prosecution had conceded before the ATC on March 3 that the FIRs were politically motivated.

Letter from advocate general prosecutors allegedly facilitated acquittal of President Alvi, ex-PM and others in Parliament House attack case

The letter sent by the advocate general Islamabad to the secretary interior (copy of which is available with Dawn) stated: “In this case Mian Aamir Sultan Goraya and Ms Fakhra Aamir Sultan appeared before the court on behalf of the State as prosecutors where they conceded before the court of learned judge without the consent of this office and did not argue the cases on merit.”

“Furthermore, they did not intimate to this office and got acquitted all the accused. They also did not apply for the attested copies of the order dated March 15, 2022, till date and intentionally delay the filing of appeal before the Honorable Islamabad High Court.”

The advocate general asked the secretary interior “in the light of above it is misconduct on part of the special public prosecutors and they may kindly be removed immediately from their post under intimation to this office.”

Former advocate general Niazullah Khan Niazi, who was the in-charge of the prosecution, when contacted, said the 2014 sit-in was peaceful and the police on the order of the then PML-N government used force against the protesters.

According to Mr Niazi, who is a senior leader of Insaf Lawyers Forum, the police included the names of Mr Khan, Dr Alvi and others on the direction of the then government, hence, the FIR was liable to be quashed.

The police on August 21, 2014, had nominated 82 suspects in the FIRs.

The FIRs alleged that three people were killed and 26 injured while 60 of the protesters were arrested. The prosecution had submitted 65 photos, sticks, cutters, etc., to the court to establish its case.

The prosecution’s case was that the protest was not peaceful. PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers marched towards the Parliament House and Prime Minister House and clashed with police deployed at the Constitution Avenue.

The ATC declared them proclaimed offenders in November 2014 as they did not appear before the court despite issuance of summons and arrest warrants.

In July 2017, the court declared them absconders and started the process of confiscating their movable and immovable properties. In May 2018, the ATC acquitted Mr Khan.

The PTI leaders, including Mr Khan, remained absconders in these cases and surrendered in October 2017 after the ATC was about to attach their properties.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2022