A court issued production orders on Friday for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan and senior party leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi in a case of vandalism during the 2022 Azadi March.
PTI counsels Sardar Mohammad Masroof and Naeem Haider Panjotha were present in the courtroom as a sessions court heard the case. The hearing was presided over by judge Mureed Abbas The case against the former premier, Qureshi, and others was registered at the Karachi Company police station.
The hearing was adjourned till April 20.
Earlier this week, a judicial magistrate of Islamabad acquitted PTI founding chairman in two similar cases. On May 27, 2022, the Islamabad police filed separate cases against 150 people including former premier and PTI chairman Imran Khan as well as other party leaders over allegations of arson and vandalism in the federal capital a day earlier.
The footage of the Safe City cameras as well as those from private TV news channels were included in the challans as evidence. At least 39 people were taken into custody after identification from the footage. Imran launched a march toward Islamabad to topple the coalition government that assumed power after he was ousted as the premier following a vote of no confidence. The rally was part of the PTI’s struggle to achieve “real freedom” and deliver the nation from the “slavery” of the “US-backed” coalition government.
