An Islamabad district and sessions court on Thursday sent Hassaan Niazi, the nephew of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, to jail on 14-day judicial remand in a case related to misbehaving with police officials.
\nDuty Magistrate Mureed Abbas rejected the police\u2019s request for an extension in Niazi\u2019s physical remand and said police had failed to recover anything from the suspect. He added that Niazi should be presented before the court on April 6.
\nNiazi was re-arrested on Monday in a separate case as he was leaving the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) after securing pre-arrest bail in three cases.
\nA new first information report (FIR) \u2014 which relates to the alleged misbehaviour with officials \u2014 was registered against him at the Ramna police station.
\nThe FIR, was registered at the Ramna Police Station on the complaint of Assistant Sub-Inspector Khuban Shah under Sections 34 (common intention), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 324 (attempted murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 427 (mischief causing damage amounting to Rs50) and 506(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
\nThe FIR alleged that the police had tried to stop Niazi\u2019s vehicle but the driver tried to run them over. It said that upon being stopped, Niazi stepped out of the vehicle, verbally abused the police and threatened to shoot them.
\nOn Tuesday, a district and sessions court had remanded Niazi into police custody for two days. The same day, Niazi had filed an appeal against the decision.
\nThe hearing
\nEarlier today, the PTI leader was presented in the court of Judicial Magistrate Mureed Abbas. Niazi was represented by Advocate Faisal Chaudhry.
\nAt the outset of the hearing, the investigating officer (IO) requested the court for an extension in Niazi\u2019s physical remand, saying that the \u201cpistol and car [involved in the incident] needed to be recovered\u201d.
\nPresenting his arguments, Chaudhry opposed the police request for an extension. \u201cMore than 72 hours have passed but they still have to recover the pistol,\u201d he remarked.
\nReading out the text of the FIR, the lawyer said: \u201cIn 72 hours, the police could not find out which car it was and on whose name it was registered. The suspect is a lawyer by profession and on that day, he had obtained bail in three other cases.\u201d
\nHe maintained that cases were being registered on \u201cpolitical grounds\u201d. \u201cHassaan Niazi\u2019s sin is that he is Imran Khan\u2019s nephew,\u201d he added.
\nChaudhry also referred to a case filed against TV anchor Siddique Jan and said that he was discharged when police could not find anything against him. \u201cThis is [about] lawyers\u2019 cause; it should be seen from a better angle,\u201d he asserted at the conclusion of his arguments.
\nSubsequently, Niazi\u2019s other lawyer, Ali Bukhari, also presented his arguments.
\n\u201cThe police report stated that Niazi was picked up at 11am but the arrest was made at 4pm,\u201d he pointed. He asserted that his client\u2019s arrest was illegal and said that \u201ca lot of people sat inside after Niazi\u2019s arrest as they feared they could also be arrested\u201d.
\nReferring to Niazi\u2019s arrest, Islamabad Bar Council President Qaiser Imam told the court that this had never happened before in the country\u2019s history. \u201cCases are being filed against lawyers who are representing their clients [\u2026] we have seen martial [law] and worse situations but have never seen this,\u201d he lamented.
\nAfter the arguments were wrapped up, the court reserved its verdict and rejected the police request for an extension in Niazi\u2019s physical remand.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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