Pakistan court dismisses PTI complaint against PM Shehbaz and senior officials
Islamabad court dismissed a PTI complaint against PM Shehbaz and senior officials over the Nov 26, 2024 protest crackdown
Aamir Abbasi
Editor, Islamabad
Aamir; a journalist with 15 years of experience, working in Newspaper, TV and Digital Media. Worked in Field, covered Big Legal Constitutional and Political Events in Pakistan since 2009 with Pakistan’s Top Media Organizations. Graduate of Quaid I Azam University Islamabad.
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File photo of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
A Pakistani court on Tuesday dismissed a criminal complaint filed by the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and several senior officials.
The complaint alleged the killing of PTI supporters during anti-government protests in November 2024, but was dismissed after Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan repeatedly failed to record his statement.
Why did the court dismiss the PTI complaint against PM Shehbaz?
The court dismissed the private complaint because Gohar, the complainant, failed to record his statement despite being given multiple opportunities over more than a year of proceedings.
Court records showed he repeatedly sought adjournments, including at Tuesday's hearing. This led the court to conclude that the case had not been actively pursued.
What did the PTI complaint allege?
The complaint was filed in December 2024 before an Islamabad judicial magistrate. It accused Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and other officials of conspiring to use excessive force against PTI protesters during demonstrations on Nov. 26.
PTI alleged the respondents devised a plan to suppress peaceful protesters, violating their constitutional and fundamental rights.
What specific claims did PTI make against officials?
PTI accused Naqvi of publicly indicating that law enforcement agencies had been ordered to use lethal force against unarmed demonstrators. It alleged that senior government officials coordinated the operation, and that Sharif and other cabinet members instructed authorities to use lethal force to "teach a lesson" to the protesters.
The complaint claimed that 12 PTI workers were killed, 38 were injured and 139 others went missing during the Nov. 26 demonstrations.
What did PTI want the court to do?
PTI had asked the court to issue non-bailable arrest warrants for the respondents and prosecute them under relevant laws.
The government has consistently rejected PTI's allegations over the handling of the protests. No new legal action on these specific allegations was announced following Tuesday's dismissal.
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