ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah said on Thursday ex-premier Imran Khan’s speech at a rally in which he allegedly threatened police and judicial officers was “inappropriate” but did not warrant charges under the anti-terror act.
Minallah made the remarks while hearing a plea seeking the dismissal of a terror case against Khan, who was booked by police in August. On Monday, he secured pre-arrest bail in the matter for a fourth time.
The terrorism case is one of a spate of legal woes for Khan, who was ousted as prime minister earlier this year. The court said last week it would indict Khan in a contempt of court case in the coming days in a matter that poses a threat to his future as it could see him disqualified from politics for at least five years.
Khan, who still enjoys widespread support, has been holding political gatherings across the country to pressure the government into holding snap elections. Officially, general elections are not due until November next year. The government says the polls will take place on time and has rejected Khan's call for early elections.
It is at one of these rallies that Khan thundered against police and judicial officials.
"The speech was absolutely wrong, with inappropriate words used, but does not warrant terrorism charges," Justice Minallah was widely quoted by Pakistani media as saying in court on Thursday.
"Don't downplay the seriousness of terrorism charges," the judge added while responding to the arguments of the government’s special prosecutor.
Since his ouster, Khan has claimed that the current government came into power under a plot by the US which allegedly disagreed with his more independent foreign policy. Washington has denied the charges.
Khan came to power in 2018 and served as prime minister for over three-and-a-half years until he was brought down by an alliance of political parties in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April.
