Pakistan: Imran Khan appears before JIT to record statement in 12 cases

Islamabad [Pakistan]: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan appeared before two Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) to record his statement in 12 cases registered under the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), Anti-Terrorist Act (ATA) and Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) on Monday, reported The News International.

Two JITs, headed by Senior Superintendent Of Police (SSP) Yasir Afridi and SP Rukhsar Mehdi, asked more than 25 questions to Imran while recording his statement. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan, in his statement, said, “I have no abhorrence of Pakistan and the national institutions. I respect the Pakistan Army, martyrs, Ghazis and monuments of martyrs from the core of my heart.”

Sources disclosed that Imran had openly condemned the May 9 incident, however, Imran said, “The PTI workers or I have nothing to do with the May 9 occurrence.”
He further claimed it was a conspiracy against him and his party, according to The News International.

“I will never accept responsibility for the occurrence because the conspiracy has been hatched by the government and law enforcement agencies engaged in entrapping me and the party in legal clutches,” he said.

He repeatedly said, “I do not agree with the assertion that the PTI workers were involved in the May 9 episode because I have proof of conspiracy linked to the occurrence.”
“They are trying to eliminate me from politics but they can’t triumph in their design,” Imran concluded.

The PTI Chief has earlier recorded his statement in seven cases, out of which four were registered under ATA offences with Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police and three with different police stations.

However, he refused to respond to the questions in the remaining five cases and said that he was not prepared to record his statements in the residual cases, reported The News International.

Investigators further accused him of not appearing before the JIT for investigation. The sources said 12 notices were served on the former premier, including seven issued by the CTD and six by JIT but he never responded to the notices.

However, two final notices were served on him with the warning that legal action would be taken if he avoided appearing on July 9 at the Islamabad Capital Territory