Imran Khan gets relief in Quetta case as BHC dismisses FIR, arrest warrant

QUETTA: The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Monday dismissed a first information report (FIR) against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for making comments against state institutions and their officers during a speech.

BHC Chief Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Gul Hasan Tareen announced the verdict on the plea of the Insaf Lawyers Forum's (ILF) Iqbal Shah and suspended the arrest warrant issued against Khan by the judicial magistrate.

The FIR against the PTI chief — who is currently serving a three-year sentence after being convicted in the Toshakhana case — was registered at Bijli Road Police Station.

'Fake case'

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Khan's counsel Naeem Haider Panjutha announced the news: "Alhamdulillah, the court has dismissed the FIR registered against Imran Khan in Bijli Road police station in Quetta, once again Imran Khan has been vindicated in a false case, congratulations to all Pakistan on the victory of justice."

The case

The case was registered against Khan on March 5 under multiple sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA).

The FIR, registered by Abdul Khalil Kakar, included Sections 153A, 124A, and 505 of the PPC and Section 20 of the PECA.

Kakar had alleged that the PTI chief’s statement was an attempt to destroy public peace and order.

During the speech, the PTI chairman had come down hard on the “state institutions” after a team of Islamabad police had arrived at his Zaman Park residence to arrest him in the Toshakhana case.

The former PM vented his rage while addressing party workers and supporters at Zaman Park residence in Lahore who participated in the "Jail Bharo Tehreek" (voluntary arrest movement).

In his fiery speech, the PTI chairman said that he had neither kneeled before any institution or person nor would let the nation do so.

Khan said it does not matter if the government places his name on the exit control list (ECL) as he has no intention of leaving the country.

Taking a dig at the leadership of the former ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), he had said that their legs start shaking if their "names are put on the no-fly list".

The PTI chairman had also berated former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa and said that he had imposed a group of criminals on the country through a conspiracy.

He had said that there was no security risk, adding that “they” wanted to “remove” (assassinate) him from the path. He also claimed that he was being dragged into the courts in fake cases.