Imran Riaz Khan freed in treason case

LAHORE: A court of the judicial magistrate Lahore on Friday freed anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan, a vocal critic of the current government, in a treason case, ARY News reported.

Imran Riaz Khan was arrested at Lahore airport on Thursday on charges of “hate speech” and making a “violence-inducing statement”, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said.

The court while announcing its reserved verdict in the case on the 14-day remand request of the FIA, discharged Imran Riaz from the case and ordered to release him.

Earlier, Imran Riaz was presented before the court of judicial magistrate Lahore. Riaz’s counsel Mian Ali Ashfaq in his arguments before the court opposed FIA’s demand for 14-day physical remand and said a treason case cannot be registered on expressing views against the government.

The FIA counsel said Imran Riaz was found involved in publicly making a hate speech at a conference which falls under the territorial jurisdiction of FIA cyber crime cell.

The complaint went on to say that the speech was further publicly shared on social media platforms nationally and internationally.

The court after hearing arguments from both sides had reserved its verdict in the case.

Imran Riaz was stopped and arrested by the FIA Cybercrime Wing at the Lahore Airport when he was trying to travel to UAE.