Islamabad HC seeks response from govt in Imran Khan security case

Islamabad [Pakistan], April 3 : The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday demanded a response from the federal government in a plea filed by former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan seeking the revocation of his security, reported ARY News.

Chief Judge Aamer Farooq of the Islamabad High Court heard the matter. After 'threatening' statements from Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, the former prime minister filed a petition at the IHC.

The top judge inquired at the start of the session, "Is Imran Khan being denied security as a former prime minister?"

The interior ministry revoked Imran Khan's protection, according to Faisal Farid's advocate's response to the IHC CJ question. The IHC sent letters to the federal government and the Interior Ministry, requesting a response by April 6.

The former prime minister is facing many charges and has been complaining about the federal government's "non-provision" of protection despite life threats.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has already notified of security SOPs for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan's court appearance.

The government and police in Islamabad have been asked to ensure strict security on March 9 during PTI chief Imran Khan's court appearance.

The IHC also requested a list of 15 names from the PTI chief's lawyers and 5 names from the Attorney General's office and the Inspector General of Police in Islamabad.

Earlier in January this year, the Islamabad Police withdrew security from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan's residence, B Gala, in the federal capital and the caretaker government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) also recalled the K-P security personnel guarding Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman, The News International reported.

The security has been withdrawn when Imran Khan is accusing the former president and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari of hatching a conspiracy to assassinate him by giving a contract to a terrorist outfit, Express Tribune newspaper reported.

Khan while holding a news conference from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore via a video link, termed the alleged conspiracy 'Plan-C' for which he accused Zardari of paying money to a terrorist outfit to carry out the assassination attempt, the Pakistan-based newspaper reported.

Notably, 50 police personnel from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were deployed for Khan's safety after the Wazirabad attack on him.

As per reports, following the appointment of the caretaker Punjab chief minister on January 22, the provincial government sent a letter to the KP government on January 24 to withdraw Khan's security, The News International reported.

"B Gala is the former prime minister's private residence. He has not been staying in Islamabad for the past several months," a spokesperson for the capital's police said. In Khan's absence, the spokesperson said, police from Islamabad and other provinces cannot be deployed over there. Frontier Corps and KP Police, as per the sources, were also withdrawn, the Daily Times reported.

PTI leader Shibli Faraz, while talking to the media, confirmed the news and said that a letter had been received from the Punjab government in which the security of Imran Khan has been withdrawn. Faraz said that the former premier's security is "his right" and that if "something happens to Imran, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and puppet government will be responsible".