Imran Khan booked under anti-terror law for 'threatening' police officials

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for “threatening” police officials and a magistrate for pursuing action against his party members.

Khan has accused the government of temporarily blocking YouTube to deny access to his speech at a political rally.

The cricketer-turned-politician, in a public speech on Saturday (August 20), accused authorities of torturing his close aide Shahbaz Gill who was arrested earlier on charges of sedition. He verbally attacked Islamabad’s police chief and a female judge for the detention and mistreatment of his aide.

“You should also get ready as we will take action against you,” said Khan.

The FIR was registered hours after Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Sunday said that the government was deciding to file a case against 69-year-old Khan over his provocative speech delivered on Saturday night in the national capital.

The FIR read that Khan in his speech had “terrorised and threatened top police officials and a respected female additional sessions judge” with an aim to abstain them from pursuing any action against any individual related to his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party (PTI).

Officials accused Khan of breaching the nation’s anti-terrorism act for allegedly making threats against the state officials.

On Saturday, Pakistan’s media regulator Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) banned the telecasting of his live speeches.

Also read: Imran Khan demands fresh general elections in Pakistan after impressive show in Punjab by-polls

Khan’s speeches were “prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order and likely to disturb public peace and tranquillity”, the authority said.

Khan later accused the government of blocking access to YouTube halfway through the speech and attempting to censor his thoughts.

“The fascist Imported govt sunk to a new low today by banning live coverage of my speeches on TV and then blocking YouTube temporarily during my speech at Liaquat Bagh. All this after continuous intimidation of media persons and taking channels off the air earlier,” said Khan against the current coalition government, which had voted him out of power.

“Now Pemra is also in the game. What has Imran Khan done? His only crime is that he is not accepting this imported government,” Khan said against PEMRA for banning his live speeches.

The YouTube service faced disruptions on multiple internet providers in Pakistan during Khan’s controversial speech, according to reports.

Reportedly, soon after Saturday’s television ban, Khan’s party vowed to go live on “500+ YouTube and Facebook channels”.

The ban was executed right before Khan was about to address a gathering in the city of Rawalpindi.

Despite being ousted from power in a no-confidence motion earlier this year, Khan falls back on the country’s vote to come back in power.