Imran Khan & Asad Umar exonerated in May 2022 case

Courts Highlight Lack of Official Notification in Section 144 Case Involving Imran Khan.

Imran Khan & Asad Umar exonerated in May 2022 case. Former prime minister Imran Khan, alongside former lawmakers Asad Umar and Faisal Javed, among others, have been cleared of accusations stemming from a case involving protest and property damage.

The verdict was delivered by the Islamabad District and Sessions Court, concluding a legal saga originating from events surrounding a purported long march by the PTI on May 25, 2022.

The legal proceedings, instigated by a complaint lodged at Tarnol police station, centred on alleged breaches of Section 144 regulations. Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Shabbir endorsed the acquittal pleas, submitted individually by the accused under Section 249-A statutes.

The ruling posited that continued trial proceedings would serve no purpose as the defendants could not be held liable under the circumstances.

Notable personalities absolved in the case include PTI Founder Imran Khan, Asad Umar, Raja Khurram, Shahzad Nawaz, Ali Nawaz Awan, Faisal Javed, Abid Hussain, and Zaheer Khan. Importantly, individuals such as Asad Umar, Ali Nawaz Awan, and Faisal Javed, previously on bail, have now been given permission by the court to rescind their bonds.

Central to the court’s decision was the argument that the defendants, including Imran Khan, were unaware of the enforcement of Section 144, owing to the absence of an official notification from the additional district magistrate. The ruling hinted at potential political motives behind the case, implying a retaliatory stance against PTI leadership.