Islamabad: Pakistan’s Opposition leader Imran Khan was granted bail by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in cases of attack on the state-run Pakistan Television headquarters building in 2014.
Reacting to the news, Khan referred a dialogue from the Bollywood movie ‘My name is Khan’ with Shah Rukh Khan in the lead and posted on Twitter, “My name is Khan and I am not a terrorist. Moreover, the SC has pronounced me Sadiq and Ameen and I am coming after them crooks.”
The chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is accused of inciting violence and attack on the PTV building and police during a 104-days anti-government protest.
The ATC judge Shahrukh Arjumand approved Khan’s anticipatory bail plea after hearing the arguments of the defence and the prosecution, a court official said, PTI reported.
In August 2014, Khan’s supporters and ally the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) allegedly attacked properties in Islamabad’s Red Zone, including those of state institutions.
Khan is also accused of attacking a police officer, Senior Superintendent of Police Asmatullah Junejo.
Following the court’s order, Khan also took the opportunity to attack the ousted Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif and “lack of transparency”.
“Nawaz Sharif could not have withstood half of the scrutiny that I went through,” he told reporters, referring to the trial against him in the Supreme Court in which he was acquitted in 2016.
“There are cases against me because I am holding them (Sharifs) accountable,” Khan said, adding “I have never stolen anything in my life.”
In November 2017, Khan had surrendered before the ATC in four cases regarding the sit-ins after the court ordered to confiscate his movable and immovable assets. In December 2017, the PTI chief had moved the court for the cases to be transferred to a civil court, but his plea was turned down.
After his surrender, the court withdrew Khan’s arrest warrants and granted pre-arrest interim bail.
