PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Saturday granted another opportunity to the relevant authorities to submit their responses and case records in petitions seeking the withdrawal of criminal cases registered in connection with the violent incidents of May 9 and 10 following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and ex-premier Imran Khan.
A single-member bench comprising Justice Kamran Hayat Miankhel heard the case. During the proceedings, Special Prosecutor Inamullah Yousafzai informed the bench that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government intended to withdraw five cases related to the May 9 and 10 unrest. He pleaded that the provincial government had appointed him as special prosecutor to pursue the withdrawal of the cases.
Applications had been filed seeking the withdrawal of cases registered at the police stations in Ghallanai in Mohmand district and Faqirabad, and three other cases registered in the jurisdiction of East Police Station in Peshawar.
However, he told the court that the Special Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Peshawar had rejected the withdrawal applications, prompting the filing of review petitions before the PHC.
The special prosecutor argued that the cases were politically motivated and lacked sufficient evidence to support prosecution. He further submitted that all of the cases had been registered during the tenure of the caretaker government.
Following the hearing, the court issued a written order noting that despite previous directions, the relevant parties had yet to submit the required case records.
The court observed that the records had still not been received from the concerned authorities and therefore ordered them to produce the complete record once again. Notices were also issued to the investigation officers concerned.
The bench adjourned further proceedings for a short period and directed the parties to ensure compliance with the court’s instructions before the next hearing.
