Case registered under anti-terrorism act against Imran Khan, his party leaders

Islamabad: A case was registered under the anti-terrorism act against former premier Imran Khan and other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders over their alleged role in the killing of a police officer during the protest march, it emerged Tuesday.

According to Punjab police, Constable Muhammad Mubashir Bilal was killed at the Hakla interchange in clashes with the PTI protestors on Monday.

Bilal, who was deputed in Islamabad to deal with the security, succumbed to his injuries caused by “violence of miscreants” while carrying out his duties to maintain law and order, the Punjab police said in a post on X.

An FIR was registered at the Taxila police station based on the police's complaint, naming Khan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, and PTI leaders Salar Khan Kakar, and Shahid Khatak.

The FIR includes sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (Section 14) as well as provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act. The FIR emphasizes that the attack was part of a premeditated criminal conspiracy led by Khan and other PTI leadership.

Khan has been implicated in scores of cases since his government was toppled in April 2022 through a no-confidence motion.

The former premier, who has been in jail since August last year, issued a "final call" on November 13 for nationwide protests on November 24, denouncing what he termed as the stolen mandate, the unjust arrests of people and the passage of the 26th amendment, which he said has strengthened a "dictatorial regime".