A record of the first information reports (FIRs) submitted before the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday revealed that Punjab police, Islamabad police and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) registered 130 FIRs against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan and other party leaders. Meanwhile, LHC’s Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Anti-Corruption Establishment to submit the record of FIRs from their departments by March 24. Justice Sheikh was hearing a plea filed by the former premier seeking details of the FIRs registered against him, and other PTI workers. According to the records, out of a total of 130 FIRs, 35 were registered against Imran.Punjab Police registered a total of 84 FIRs against PTI leadership and workers but nominated Imran Khan in six. Islamabad police registered 43 FIRs against party workers, with 28 against Imran and the FIA registered three FIRs with Imran mentioned in one.
As proceedings commenced, the petitioner’s counsel, Advocate Azhar Siddique, drew the court’s attention towards the rapid increase in the number of FIRs registered against Imran and the PTI. He contended that there were 56 FIRs in Punjab and 33 in Islamabad till yesterday which increased to 84 and 43 respectively.
NAB sought some time to submit the relevant report, irking Justice Sheikh who questioned what the accountability watchdog was doing since yesterday. NAB’s representative replied that they found out today about the requisite document and that the accountability watchdog was not given the petitioner’s copy, therefore could not respond without reading the petition. Siddique argued NAB had been written to twice but the bureau and Anti-Corruption are reluctant to submit the record before the court. Justice Sheikh then asked the anti-corruption wing how many cases were registered against Imran Khan, and expressed dismay after receiving a non-satisfactory answer. He maintained that it appeared NAB and the anti-corruption wing were not cooperating.
