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Police in Lahore on Monday registered a terrorism case against Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader Javed Latif for allegedly inciting “sectarian hatred” against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan.
Filed by the imam of a local mosque, the First Information Report cites Sections 9 (punishment for acts intended or likely to stir up sectarian hatred) and 11X-3 (responsibility for creating civil commotion) of the Anti-Terrorism Act for the registration of the case. Noting the offending press conference was broadcast on national television, the complainant has also nominated PTV Managing Director Sohail Khan and Controller (Program) Rashid Baig in the case.
Sharing a copy of the FIR on Twitter, Punjab Home Minister Col. (retd.) Muhammad Hashim said “incitement of sectarian hatred and violence against any citizen, including Imran Khan, will not be tolerated.”
According to the FIR, the complainant said he had heard Latif’s press conference on Sept. 14, noting the PMLN leader had alleged various things about Khan in the name of religion. Claiming that Khan was an ardent follower of Islam’s Prophet and a “patriotic” Pakistani, he claimed that Latif had declared the PTI chief a non-Muslim. “He [Latif] deliberately used these words to incite his followers and create a law and order situation,” the complaint alleges, adding that it had triggered “extreme anger” among PTI supporters.
The FIR further alleges that Latif’s remarks were made at the behest of his party leadership and the information minister to spread religious hatred against Imran.
In his press conference, Latif had accused the PTI chief of “attacking the basic principles of Islam” by “supporting” the Ahmaddiya community during his tenure. “When Imran made Naya Pakistan, units of Qadianis became active in Karachi … Did Imran not give interviews to the foreign media in which he said that Qadianis will be given religious freedom?” he said, to condemnation from both social and mainstream media. PTI leaders have also slammed Latif and the ruling coalition for “using religion to spread hatred” against Khan.
It is unlikely courts would allow the terrorism case to proceed, as evident from the Islamabad High Court ordering police to remove anti-terror clauses in an ongoing case against Khan after noting that mere speeches by politicians did not constitute “terror,” especially if cases against them were not filed by the targeted parties.