ATC summons Imran in 2014 sit-in cases

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has summoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on February 15 in cases related to the attacks on the state television and parliament buildings and then SSP Islamabad (Operations) Asmatullah Junejo during the 2014 sit-in in the capital city.

The PTI chief has been booked in four cases for inciting the crowd to violence, inflicting damages to the public properties including Pakistan Television (PTV) and Parliament House buildings in Islamabad.

Earlier today, the court had granted interim bail to PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi against a surety bond worth Rs100,000.

Previously, the court had approved the bail of Khan against a surety of Rs 200,000 in each case.

Imran Khan had been skipping the court proceedings for last over three years until he surrendered before the court in November last year.

Cases against political cousins

Police had booked Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri along with their supporters in a number of cases during the 2014 sit-in calling for the resignation of the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

In a case, 70 people were booked after a mob of protesters belonging to the PTI and PAT stormed PTV headquarters and forced its staff to take two of the state broadcaster’s flagship channels — PTV News and PTV World — off the air on Sept 1, 2014.

The protesters were also charged with attacking government properties including the Parliament House building.

Another case related to the attack on then-Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Asmatullah Junejo.