ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad anti-terrorism court extended PTI chief and former prime minister Imran Khan’s interim bail till September 20 in connection with the terrorism case registered him.

The hearing of the case resumed after PTI chief Imran appeared in front of the court.

“My client is in the courtroom. Imran Khan has more than once submitted his reply to the court,” Imran’s counsel Babar Awan said. “Is that reply private which has not been added? If the new prosecutor wants to take time so he can.”

The prosecutor said that the joint investigation team sent three notices, however, the PTI chief did not become part of the team.

ATC Judge Raja Jawad Abbas Hassan, who took up the case, ordered the PTI lawyer to read out Section 161 (examination of witnesses by police) of the Criminal Code of Procedure (CrPC). The counsel did that.

Awan said that he had given a written statement which was not made part of the record. The lawyer added the court has the prerogative to punish police for poor investigation.

“The judge was told that we have to take action against you. Obviously, it was a legal action,” he said. On this, the judge advised the lawyer to not talk on this matter as it was pending in the high court.

Imran’s lawyer maintained that he wanted to bring it in the record that half of the FIR ended here.

“IG Islamabad and DGI, we won’t spare you,” he quoted the PTI chief’s comments and asked for finding terrorism in the statement.

“Rizwan Abbasi Sb will extract terrorism,” the judge said.

Prosecutor Abbasi said that the discussion at hand was about the suspect joining the investigation. The JIT or the investigation officer would determine the best method of doing so, he added.

“Is it necessary to physically join the investigation?” the judge asked. The prosecutor replied that this was at the discretion of the IO.

The judge directed the prosecution and Imran’s lawyer to decide where and when to become a part of the investigation and then extended Imran’s bail till September 20.

Court summons Imran

“We will hear other arguments when Imran Khan appears in the court,” ATC Judge Raja Jawad Abbas Hassan, who took up the case, said as he adjourned the proceedings of the case for a brief time which commenced around 10am.

Imran was booked in a terrorism case for his controversial remarks about a female judge at a party rally in Islamabad on Aug 20. The Islamabad ATC had extended Imran’s interim bail till September 12 (today) in the case. The court had also directed the PTI leader to submit Rs100,000 as surety.

At the outset of the hearing, the judge asked PTI lawyer Babar Awan about the status of Imran joining the investigation team. The counsel replied in the affirmative to the query.

However, the investigation officer said that three notices were sent to Imran and the latter has so far not become part of the team. A statement from the lawyer said that Imran would appear himself, the officer added.

ATC Judge Hassan asked about its prosecutors, adding that already two have been de-notified.

Controversial remarks

Imran had warned the judiciary against its “biased” attitude towards his party while reacting to the court proceedings against Shahbaz Gill at the Islamabad rally on August 20, saying that it should brace itself for the consequences.

The former prime minister had also warned additional district and sessions judge Zeba Chaudhry, who had approved the two-day physical remand of Gill on the request of the capital police in a sedition case, that she, too, would face dire consequences.

Imran had threatened to file cases against Islamabad’s inspector general of police and deputy inspector general of police, saying, “We won’t spare you.” Later, he was booked under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (punishment for acts of terrorism) on Sunday for “threatening” a female judge and senior police officers.

Islamabad police had also registered another case against the former prime and other top leaders of the PTI for allegedly violating of Section 144 while holding the August 20 rally.