PTI\u2019s counsel urges acquittal of party founder and other leaders over \u2018lack of evidence\u2019
\n ISLAMABAD
\nA district and sessions court in Islamabad acquitted PTI founder Imran Khan on Monday in two cases pertaining to the May 9 riots and vandalism during the party\u2019s Azaadi March in 2022.
\nA case against the former premier over the May 9 violence was registered at the Khanna Police Station. The verdict stated that no evidence against the PTI founder came to the record and ruled that \u201cevidence available was not sufficient to prove the allegations\u201d.
\nThe verdict added that the court cannot proceed with the case against Imran on such a \u2018vague\u2019 record and an accused cannot be deprived of his legal right without any reason.
\n\u201cThe case on behalf of the prosecution is not based on solid evidence, Imran has not been proven guilty even if the prosecution records the existing evidence,\u201d the court ruled.
\n\u201cConsidering the facts, the prosecution\u2019s arguments have become highly suspicious.\u201d
\nAzaadi March case
\nImran and other party leaders including Faisal Javed, Ali Nawaz Awan, Saifullah Niazi, Zartaj Gul, Asad Umar, Murad Saeed, Qasim Suri and Ali Muhammad Khan were also acquitted in a vandalism case registered against PTI\u2019s Haqeeqi Azaadi March in 2022.
\nJudicial Magistrate Mureed Abbas Khan announced the verdict reserved during the last hearing.
\nPTI counsel Advocate Naeem Panjotha argued that the use of clause 109 against the PTI founder was false, stating the case was based on a bogus FIR and could not proceed. He added that the authority to register the case rested only with the person who imposed Section 144.
\nHe highlighted the absence of video evidence implicating Imran and other party leaders and said \u201cImran has been acquitted in similar cases before, if the allegations made are baseless, the court can acquit the accused\u201d.
\nPanjotha portrayed the cases as politically motivated, emphasizing the peaceful nature of the protests. \u201cThe trees caught fire due to police shelling and none of the workers was involved in it.
\nThe court, following the arguments by the PTI lawyer, announced the verdict in favour of the former premier and his party leaders. However, the court reserved a verdict on Imran\u2019s acquittal in a similar Azaadi March case.
\nAlmost the entire senior PTI leadership is facing multiple cases regarding the long march. An Islamabad court reserved on April 4 the verdict on the acquittal pleas of Imran, vice chairman Qureshi, and ally Sheikh Rashid among others in cases lodged against Azaadi March.
\nJudicial Magistrate Malik Imran stated that he would decide on the petitions after hearing the pleas of all the accused.
\nThe co-accused included PTI leaders Ali Nawaz Awan and Sadaqat Abbasi. Party lawyers Sardar Masroof Advocate, Amna Ali, Rizwan Akhtar Awan, and Mirza Asim Advocate were also present during the hearing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PTI\u2019s counsel urges acquittal of party founder and other leaders over \u2018lack of evidence\u2019 ISLAMABAD A district and sessions court in Islamabad acquitted PTI founder Imran Khan on Monday in two cases pertaining to the May 9 riots and vandalism during the party\u2019s Azaadi March in 2022. A case against the former premier over the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":305687,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-408222","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n