May 9 Protests: ATC Court Summons Pakistan Ex-PM Imran Khan on Jan 9

 Rawalpindi’s Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) summoned PTI founder Imran Khan in a case having connections to May 9 protests, as indicated by reports.

The Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been summoned on January 9 in cases related to an attack on General Headquarters (GHQ). Notably, the PTI founder is the main accused in all the cases related to the May 9 protests.

Details of report suggest that former Pakistan PM Imran Khan has received summons on January 9 in the cases related to General headquarters (GHQ) attacks. The PTI founder has been found to be the main accused in all cases related to the  protests. After his arrest on May 9, 2023, protests erupted across Pakistan in remote and major cities.

During the protests, army installations and Corps Commander’s house were attacked by PTI workers. A post on X revealed that Imran Khan’s part urged Pakistanis to protest against his arrest. . “Pakistan, its your time now. It’s now or never an opportunity. People must come out to defend their country now,” PTI posted on X. Several  PTI leaders and workers, including PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Yasmin Rashid, were arrested.

Armed forces were asked to ensure law and order by the authorities in Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Padhtunkhwa and Islamabad.

According to reports, on Thursday, PTI approached the Supreme court against the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) decision to restore Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ruling revoking the party’s ‘bat’ electoral symbol over discrepancies in holding intra party elections. The ECP electoral symbol of PTI was revoked for the election on February 8. It said that it failed to hold intra-party polls which foresaw Barrister Gohar Khan becoming the PTI chairman in accordance with prevailing election laws and the constitution.

The decision of ECP was challenged by the PTI as they approached PHC. On December 26, a temporary suspension order was delivered by single member bench of PHC against ECP’s decision. Order instructed the commission to publish PTI’s intra party poll certificates on website and restore ‘bat’(party symbol).

Subsequently, an intra-court appeal was filed by the ECP against PHC verdict. ECP’s review plea was accepted by PHC. PHC clarified that their December 26 order was an “ex parte order” as it was passed without any opportunity for a hearing to the commission.The order said: “Under the election laws, the whole exercise of holding and conducting an election i.e. right from the issuance of notification of holding an election till the publication of names of the successful; candidates in the official gazette, is a time-bound exercise, therefore, the said order has prima facie created hindrance in the smooth process of the election which is to be conducted by the ECP […] on February 8,” according to Dawn report.
“In view of the above, the interim order of this court passed in favour of the writ petitioner/ PTI is hereby recalled/vacated and consequently the ECP is directed to proceed with the election process as per its constitutional mandate as well as various orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan passed in respect of the ensuing election and it shall ensure to conduct and hold free, fair and transparent election,” it added