Balochistan, June 3, 2024
The Balochistan High Court (BHC) recently threw out a petition accusing ex-Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan of high treason. The court dismissed the FIR against Imran Khan, like the arrest warrants issued against him as unlawful.
This petition was moved by senior advocate Abdul Razzaq Shar, who was later martyred in the city of Quetta. Shar had contended that Imran Khan be prosecuted for treason based on his decision to dissolve the National Assembly in April 2022 to prevent a vote of no confidence targeted at ousting him as prime minister.
In his petition, Shar had asked for proceedings against Imran Khan under Article Six of the constitution, which concerns high treason. However, the BHC did not entertain the plea and finally dealt with the case against the former prime minister.
More Read
The Insaf Lawyers Forum (ILF) had filed a petition in the Balochistan High Court to challenge the case and arrest warrants. The ruling is given by a division bench consisting of BHC Chief Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Gul Hassan Tareen in a petition of the petitioner, the PTI chief.
Shar’s son, Siraj Ahmed, had lodged the FIR against Imran Khan for his role of abetting murder. Ahmed reported his father was murdered as a result of the case he had opened against Imran Khan.
The BHC’s decision to dismiss the high treason petition against Imran Khan has arisen when political instabilities are still prevalent in Pakistan. The former prime minister disagrees with the present government and has been organizing new elections.
This dismissal of the petition is a significant step in the ongoing legal confrontation between Imran Khan and his adversaries. Thus, it remains unsure how this decision will affect other political processes in Pakistan.
