The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Wednesday granted extension in suspension of non-bailable arrest warrants issued for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan by a Quetta judicial magistrate in a case of hate speech against state institutions and officers. Justice Rozi Khan Barrech of Balochistan High Court heard the PTI petition seeking dismissal of an FIR registered in Quetta against Imran Khan. The petition was filed by organizer of the Insaf Lawyers Forum Iqbal Shah.

The petitioner contended that case against Imran Khan was baseless. The incident did not happen in Quetta, he argued. He said legal requirements had not been fulfilled while registering the FIR against Imran Khan. During hearing of the case, the BHC ordered authorities concerned to furnish record of all cases registered under that particular offence. The court also extended suspension of arrest warrants against Imran Khan till next hearing date.

Earlier, Quetta police had lodged a case against the former prime minister at the Bijli Road police station for alleged hate speech against state institutions. A Quetta police team was dispatched to Lahore to arrest Imran in compliance with a court order. The PTI had then approached the high court, seeking cancellation of Imran’s warrants.

BHC’s Justice Zaheer-Ud-Din Kakar had suspended the warrants for two weeks after listening to arguments from the petitioner’s lawyer. Notices were issued to Quetta inspector general of police, director investigation, senior superintendent (legal), the station house officer and the complainant.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP