Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan booked in new terrorism cases over Rawalpindi protest

Islamabad: Punjab police has registered three new cases against Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan following a protest by his party on his call at Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh area on Saturday.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder was booked on Sunday under the Anti-Terrorism Act along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and party chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, The Express Tribune newspaper reported.

The complaints filed by the New Town and Civil Lines police stations of Rawalpindi also included charges of attempted murder, violations of Section 144 and other terrorism-related offences.

According to the charges, the 71-year-old leader incited his supporters to protest against national institutions while issuing directives from Adiala Jail where he has been incarcerated for more than a year.

The Punjab government has also raised allegations against Khan and his supporters, accusing them of criticising national institutions, engaging in vandalism, and inciting violence, including stone-pelting.

Khan’s supporters on Saturday allegedly clashed with police during the protest. Hundreds of PTI supporters tried to reach the historic Liaquat Bagh park in the city for the protest called by Khan, but police erected barricades and blocked all major roads.

In videos shared by the PTI, protesters were seen attacking the police with stones and bricks and the law-enforcing personnel were seen retreating in haste while being chased by the protesters.

Earlier, Khan had given a call for "peaceful protest", ahead of which, the provincial government banned public gatherings and closed all major roads leading to the city.

Following the clashes, the party called off the protest to avoid any losses. The General Headquarters of the army is located in Rawalpindi and the venue of the protest was hardly a few kilometers away from the GHQ.

Khan was arrested on August 5 last year after his conviction in the first Toshakhana corruption case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan. Since then, he has been in jail in different cases.