The Islamabad sessions court on Monday acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and other PTI leaders in the Azadi March vandalism case. Judicial Magistrate Mureed Abbas Khan announced the reserved verdict.
Among those acquitted alongside Imran Khan were PTI leaders Zartaj Gul, Ali Nawaz Awan, Faisal Javed, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Qasim Suri, Raja Khurram Nawaz, Shireen Mazari, Saifullah Niazi, Asad Umar, and Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmad.
During the proceedings, Imran Khan’s counsel, Naeem Panjotha, argued that the First Information Report (FIR) had been filed by an unauthorized individual. He asserted that only the person who imposed Section 144 had the authority to file the case. Panjotha also maintained that FIRs had been registered against peaceful protesters and noted that 19 similar cases were registered against Khan in different police stations. He requested the court to acquit the PTI founder, describing the allegations as baseless.
After hearing the arguments, the court reserved its verdict on the acquittal pleas and subsequently announced the acquittals.
The vandalism cases were originally registered in 2022 by the Karachi Company police against Imran Khan and other PTI leaders, including Zartaj Gul, Asad Umar, Faisal Javed, Ali Nawaz Awan, and Saifullah Niazi, in connection with the Azadi March.
Earlier, on May 15, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted bail to Imran Khan in the £190 million National Crime Agency (NCA) settlement reference.