ATC grants one-day exemption to Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) of Islamabad Tuesday accepted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan's plea for one day exemption from appearing before it in the Dharna (sit-in) violence case.

The prosecutor, however, sought more time from ATC judges Shahrukh Arjumand and Muhammad Kausar Abbas to place arguments against Imran's plea for permanent exemption from appearance.

Meanwhile, when police submitted an interim-charge sheet against PTI leaders Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Shafqat Mehmood and Asad Umar as accused in the case.

Following the court orders, the three accused appeared before the court and through counsel submitted Imran's one day exemption application from appearance.

Accepting the application, the court adjourned the case.

It may added that Pakistan Awami Tahreek chief Tahir-ul-Qadri, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak and Jahangir Tareen of the PTI have already been declared absconders by the court in the instant case.

On September 1, 2014, violence broke out in Islamabad when PAT and PTI workers, staging sit-ins, attempted to break a police cordon and stormed the Prime Minister House, using cranes to remove the barricades.

Four cases were registered against leaders and workers of PTI and PAT, including an attack on the Parliament House and Pakistan Television building, and torture on the them SSP Operations Islamabad.