Hassaan Niazi sent to jail on 14-day remand

ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad district and sessions court on Thursday sent Hassaan Niazi, the nephew of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, to jail on 14-day judicial remand in a case related to misbehaving with police officials.

Duty Magistrate Mureed Abbas rejected the police request for an extension in Niazi's physical remand and said police had failed to recover anything from the suspect. He added that Niazi should be presented before the court on April 6.

Hassan Niazi was re-arrested on Monday in a separate case as he was leaving the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) after securing pre-arrest bail in three cases. A first information report (FIR) relating to the alleged misbehaviour with police officials was registered against him at the Ramna Police Station. It was registered on the complaint of Assistant Sub Inspector Khuban Shah under Pakistan Penal Code sections 34 (common intention) 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) 324 (attempted murder) 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) 427 (mischief causing damage amounting to Rs50) and 506(2) (criminal intimidation). The FIR alleged that the police had tried to stop Niazi's vehicle but the driver tried to run them over. It said that upon being stopped, Niazi stepped out of the vehicle, verbally abused the police and threatened to shoot them. On Tuesday a district and sessions court remanded Niazi into police custody for two days. The same day Niazi filed an appeal against the decision.Earlier on Thursday, the PTI leader was presented in the court of Judicial Magistrate Mureed Abbas. Niazi was represented by Advocate Faisal Fareed Chaudhry. The investigating officer (IO) requested the court for an extension in Niazi's physical remand saying the pistol and car [involved in the incident] needed to be recovered.

Presenting his arguments Faisal Chaudhry opposed the police's request for an extension. More than 72 hours have passed but they still have to recover the pistol, he remarked. Reading out the text of the FIR, the lawyer said in 72 hours the police could not find out which car it was in and on whose name it was registered. The suspect is a lawyer by profession and on that day he had obtained bail in three other cases. He maintained that cases were being registered on political grounds. Niazi's only sin is that he is Imran Khan's nephew, he added.

Subsequently Niazi's other lawyer Ali Bukhari pointed out that the police report claims arresting Niazi at 11 am but he was arrested at 4 pm. Terming his client's arrest as illegal, he asserted it has generated fear among the people who feel they could be arrested anytime. Referring to Niazi's arrest Islamabad Bar Council President Qaiser Imam told the court that this had never happened before in the country's history. Cases are being filed against lawyers representing their clients, he lamented.

After the arguments, the court reserved its verdict and rejected the police request for an extension in Niazi's physical remand.