ATC rejects police plea for Imran’s forensic tests

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore has dismissed the police request to conduct polygraph and photogrammetric tests of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in 12 cases related to the May 9 riots.

Rejecting the fresh plea of the prosecution, the ATC judge remarked that the court granted permission to the police twice but it failed to conduct polygraph and photogrammetric tests of the accused. The court questioned how the investigation would proceed after the accused’s repeated refusal.

It remarked that the accused was given two opportunities to prove his innocence, but he wasted them due to his obstinacy. The ATC ruled that it would be a mere waste of time to give the accused a third opportunity. It further remarked that this is a unique case where the accused is unwilling to prove his own innocence, and therefore, no additional chances for the tests are required. Later, the ATC ordered the investigation officer to use all legal procedures for completing the probe.