Abetting mutiny, waging war among other provisions added to Imran Khan’s May 9 cases

• Provisions included on August 18 as per case diary.
• ATC grants police permission to investigate ex-PM. 
• ATC judge issues an order at the request of police.

LAHORE: Police on Thursday included incitement to mutiny and an attempt to wage war among other provisions to six cases filed against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan — who is currently serving a three-year sentence in Attock jail after being convicted in the Toshakhana case — in connection with the May 9 riots.

The riots were triggered almost across the country after the deposed prime minister's arrest in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case on May 9 which led to the deaths of at least eight people and injured several others, prompting the authorities to arrest thousands of PTI workers.

During the protests, the miscreants attacked the civil and military installations including — Jinnah House and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. The military called May 9 "Black Day" and decided to try the protesters under the Army Act.

The other offences include 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief), 153 (Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153-A (Promoting enmity between different groups, etc), 153-B (Inducing students, etc, take part in political activity), 146 (Rioting), 131 (Abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty), 121 (Waging or attempting to wage war or abetting the waging of war against Pakistan), 121-A (Conspiracy to commit offences punishable by Section 121), 120-A (Definition of criminal conspiracy), 120-B (Punishment of criminal conspiracy) and 107 (Abetment of a thing).

According to the police report, the provisions were included on August 18 as per the case diary.

Following the inclusion of the provisions, the police contacted an anti-terrorism court (ATC) which granted permission to the law enforcement agency to investigate the PTI chief — who was removed from the office last year in April via a no-confidence motion.

ATC Judge Ejaz Ahmad Buttar also issued an order at the request of the police.

What is Al-Qadir Trust case?

Imran Khan — the former prime minister who was removed from power via a no-confidence motion in April last year, along with his wife Bushra Bibi and other PTI leaders — is facing a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) inquiry related to a settlement between the PTI government and a property tycoon, which reportedly caused a loss of 190 million pounds to the national exchequer.

As per the charges, Khan and other accused allegedly adjusted Rs50 billion — 190 million pounds at the time — sent by Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to the government.

They are also accused of getting undue benefit in the form of over 458 kanals of land at Mouza Bakrala, Sohawa, to establish Al-Qadir University.