ATC summons details of Imran, Qadri assets

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) hearing the SSP Asmatullah Junejo attack case has summoned details of assets of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek chairman Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri, both of whom stand accused in the case.

The court, which earlier this month ordered to temporarily seize the properties of Imran Khan and Tahir-ul-Qadri till their production in court, has adjourned hearing of the case to August 24.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Daniyal Aziz has urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice of the case.

Speaking to media outside the court hearing the case on Thursday, Aziz lamented that the case, in which Imran Khan, Qadri and several others were booked for their alleged involvement in attacks on the SSP and state TV building during the 2014 sit-in in Islamabad, was being subdued.

“The case also involves 40 to 50 ‘unknown persons’ who were never properly investigated for the violence during the [August 2014] sit-in,” he said, as he requested Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to form a judicial commission or carry out a parliamentary inquiry into the case.

Aziz also called upon the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice of the case.

“I request the media, I request Pakistan, and the Prime Minister to carry out a judicial inquiry. I request the Supreme Court, should there not be a suo motu notice against this case?” he remarked.

Khan and Qadri face charges of destroying property in the Red Zone, attacking the state TV channel's building and injuring SSP Asmatullah Junejo on Constitution Avenue. The incident had taken place on September 1, 2014, less than 24 hours into the official’s first day on the job as SSP Operations.

Both Khan and Qadri have been declared proclaimed offenders in the case, after the police submitted a report stating the suspects could not be arrested.