Govt mulls filing sedition case against Imran Khan, CMs KPK, GB

ISLAMABAD: The federal government is mulling to file a treason case against PTI Chairman Imran Khan and the chief ministers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan over the violence that took place during the PTI's "Azadi March" on May 25.

A meeting of the Special Committee of the Cabinet was held under the chairmanship of Interior Minister Rana Sana Ullah Khan Thursday at the Ministry of Interior where the key members of the cabinet deliberated on the matter.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Communications Maulana Asad Mahmood, Adviser to Prime Minister on Kashmir Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Minister for Law Justice Azam Nazir Tarar and other concerned officials including Interior Secretary Yousuf Naseem Khokhar and IG Islamabad Police Nasir Akbar, according to a statement issued by the ministry.

The interior minister briefed the committee about the PTI’s long march on May 25 and its formal plan to attack the federation.

The cabinet committee deliberated to file a sedition case under Section 124A of the CrPC against PTI Chairman Imran Khan Niazi and the chief ministers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.

The committee also reviewed the evidence regarding the PTI long march participants, especially the party chairman Imran Khan Niazi and the chief ministers to attack the federation.

The interior secretary and IG Islamabad briefed the committee members regarding law, order and the long march.

The committee adjourned the meeting till Monday (June 6) for further consultations to make final recommendations to the federal cabinet.

During the meeting, Rana Sanaullah urged the committee to recommend the federal cabinet to register a sedition case against Imran Khan in light of the evidence.

The minister termed PTI’s long march ‘Fitna’ and said it was a riot march rather than a ‘Haqiqi Azadi March’ and added that it was an armed attack on the federation besides a mutiny.

Formal planning was made to hold the capital hostage on May 25, he added.

He said Imran Khan Niazi provoked the PTI’s workers through his hate speeches against the federation.

Participants in the PTI's long march were armed, the minister added.

Rana Sanaullah said under the plan, about 2,500 miscreants had already been brought to Islamabad before May 25. These miscreants tried to capture D-Chowk before the arrival of Imran Khan, he said.

He said the armed group not only attacked police, Rangers and FC personnel but also set on fire trees and the Metro Station.

Imran Niazi also violated the May 25 decision of the Supreme Court, he said.

From the container Imran Niazi directed his workers to reach D-Chowk despite the SC decision, he said. “Police had to use tear gas to keep miscreants away from D-Chowk.”