Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan booked under anti-terrorism charges

An FIR has been filed against former Pakistan PM Imran Khan under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). Imran Khan was booked for threatening a judge and two top officials while addressing a rally in Islamabad.

Earlier, Pakistan’s electronic media watchdog banned satellite television channels from broadcasting live speeches of ousted prime minister Imran Khan, hours after he threatened state institutions and made provocative statements during a public rally.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) said that Imran's recorded speech would only be permitted to be aired after an effective delay mechanism to ensure effective monitoring and editorial control.

Khan, while addressing a public gathering here on Saturday, threatened to file cases against top police officials, a woman magistrate, the Election Commission of Pakistan and political opponents over the treatment meted out to his aide Shahbaz Gill, who was arrested last week on charges of sedition.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the speech by Imran Khan was a continuation of a trend to target the army and other institutions.

Khan, while addressing a public gathering on Saturday, threatened to file cases against top police officials, a woman magistrate, Election Commiss­ion and political opponents over the treatment meted out to his aide Shahbaz Gill, who was arrested last week on charges of sedition. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) in a communique issued on Saturday said that television channels despite repeated warnings had failed to implement a time-delay mechanism to stop the broadcast of material against “state institutions”.

“It has been observed that Mr Imran Khan, Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, in his speeches/statements is continuously alleging state institutions by levelling baseless allegations and spreading hate speech through his provocative statements against state institutions and officers which is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order and is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility,” it said.

The regulator said Khan’s speeches were in violation of Article 19 of the Constitution and against the code of conduct for the media.