Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan on Sunday was booked for allegedly issuing threats to state institutions and making provocative statements during a public rally. The Pakistan government was considering action against Khan, who had threatened to file cases against a top police official and a woman magistrate at a public rally in Islamabad.
A case has been registered against Khan under the Anti-terrorism Act. While addressing a rally on Saturday, Khan threatened to file cases against top police officials, a woman magistrate, Election Commission of Pakistan and political opponents over the treatment of his aide Shahbaz Gill, who was arrested sedition charges last week.
According to details accessed by CNN-News18Khan has been booked under Section 7 of the Terror Act by Islamabad police. The FIR stated that he threatened the inspector general of police in Islamabad and female magistrate on August 20.
CNN-News18 had earlier reported about the speech in which Khan had issued the threats against the IG and magistrate.
At a press conference earlier in the day, Pakistan’s interior minister Rana Sanaullah said the government was mulling over the matter of taking legal action against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief and was holding consultations before moving against him.
According to the government, the chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has continued a trend of targeting institutions, especially directing his comments at the army. Sanaullah said this was a continuation of a campaign after Lasbela incident when six army officers were killed followed by Gill’s attempt to incite army ranks to go against their top command.
The interior ministry prepared a report on Khan’s latest speech and held consultations with the advocate general and the law ministry before making a final decision.
Hours after Khan’s “threats”, Pakistan’s electronic media watchdog banned satellite television channels from broadcasting live speeches of Khan. Issuing a statement about the same, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) said television channels had failed to stop the broadcast of “material against state institutions” despite repeated warnings.
“It has been observed that Mr Imran Khan, Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, in his speeches/statements is continuously alleging state institutions by levelling baseless allegations and spreading hate speech through his provocative statements against state institutions and officers which is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order and is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility,” read the statement.
(With PTI inputs)
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