PTI Chairman Gohar’s house ‘raided’ as he attends SC hearing
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa warned Saturday that “heads may roll” after law enforcers “attacked” PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan’s house in Islamabad.
Gohar got to know about the house raid while he was assisting PTI’s Barrister Zafar Ali during a hearing about the party’s bat allotment symbol at the Supreme Court earlier in the day.
During the Supreme Court hearing of the ECP appeal against the Peshawar High Court decision to restore the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf election symbol, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan abruptly left the court claiming that the police raided his house.
بیرسٹر گوہر خان نے اپنے گھر میں توڑ پھوڑ کے تمام مناظر میڈیا کو دیکھا دیئے- بچوں کو مارا کمپیوٹر توڑے دروازے توڑے -
— PTI (@PTIofficial) January 13, 2024
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In the middle of the court proceedings, Gohar Khan informed the court that he just got information that his house has been raided by police who came there in four police vans. He said that police assaulted his family members including his son and nephew and took away all the documents.
Saying this, the PTI leader left the courtroom.
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Reacting to the update, CJP Isa said: "Whatever happened should not have happened."
He summoned the additional attorney general to the rostrum reiterating his displeasure at the news. The additional attorney general said he would look into it and left the courtroom.
After a while, Barrister Gohar returned to the court, to which CJP Qazi Faez Isa asked if all was right. “The situation is very serious,” he responded. The chief justice directed the additional attorney general to resolve the matter.
Responding to the CJP, the additional attorney general said he has spoken with the home secretary and Islamabad IGP Dr Akbar Nasir Khan. “The home secretary and the IG are investigating what happened,” he told the court.
The PTI chairman wanted to tell more but was not given permission by the chief justice, who told him to inform the additional attorney general instead. First tell the additional attorney general, if not heard by him, then inform the court.”
Speaking of the ‘police attack’, Barrister Gohar noted that the “limit has been crossed” now.
“If we cannot resolve the issue, then you can tell us,” the chief justice responded.
Meanwhile, the Islamabad police – in a statement on X – claimed it received an update about the police reaching Barrister Gohar’s house.
“On a tip-off, the police reached a house in search of the wanted criminals. Upon reaching there, the police found out that the house belonged to Barrister Gohar and the police returned,” the Islamabad police claimed
Later, the IG Islamabad appeared before the court, CJP Isa told him that a complaint had been made before the court which was “completely intolerable” and ordered him to attend to it “immediately”.
“If heads needed to be rolled, then do so,” he said and ordered the IGP to personally ask the family members present at his house about what had happened.
CJP Isa then asked the IG whether he knew what had happened or not. At this, the IGP said: “The police have gone to that place.” The CJP asked why did the police go to the PTI chairman’s house.
In response, the IGP said the police had a tip-off about proclaimed offenders being present over there, to which, the CJP asked the capital’s top cop to name those proclaimed offenders.
IG Akbar said since the time was short, he was unaware of who those people were exactly. However, he said when the police officials arrived at the place and were apprised that this was Barrister Gohar’s house, they returned.
The CJP then asked in which police station has the case been registered, to which the IGP said that it was the Kohsar Police Station.
“Okay, go there personally and submit a report before us. This is a very serious matter. Every citizen has to have full protection. Since you’re not aware of it, but heads may roll,” the CJP added.
The chief justice, at the end, noted that if Barrister Gohar is not satisfied, the court should be informed.
Later, Islamabad IGP arrived at Gohar's residence. Talking to the media, he said he had come to Barrister Gohar's house on the orders of the Supreme Court.
"I have met Mr Gohar Sahib and heard his complaint. Whatever he said, the police are looking into it and SP City Aleem will supervise all these matters himself."
He said if Barrister Gohar says there is a security issue, the police will provide him security.
Islamabad IGP said there was a report of the presence of a proclaimed offender in a house on the same street but there was a misunderstanding regarding the house number.
He said an investigation team has been formed to conduct a thorough investigation. He said Barrister Gohar has to appear in the Supreme Court again so he has left for the apex court.