- Accused unwilling to prove his own innocence: ATC.
- “No additional chances for the tests are required.”
- ATC orders IO to use all legal procedures for completing probe.
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore has dismissed the police’s request to conduct polygraph and photogrammetric tests of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in 12 cases related to May 9 riots.
The vandalism was followed by the PTI founder’s arrest on the aforementioned date in 2023 during which alleged party workers resorted to violence in many parts of the country.
The violent protests saw attacks on public properties, including military installations, prompting the civil and military leadership to try the rioters under the Army Act.
Rejecting the fresh plea of the prosecution, the ATC judge remarked that the court granted permission to the police twice but it failed to conduct polygraph and photogrammetric tests of the accused.
The court questioned how the investigation would proceed after the accused’s repeated refusal.
It remarked that the accused was given two opportunities to prove his innocence, but he wasted them due to his obstinacy.
The ATC ruled that it would be a mere waste of time to give the accused a third opportunity.
It further remarked that this is a unique case where the accused is unwilling to prove his own innocence, and therefore, no additional chances for the tests are required.
Later, the ATC ordered the investigation officer to use all legal procedures for completing the probe.
Earlier, it emerged that ex-PM Khan once again declined to undergo a forensic test and refused to cooperate with investigators in connection with the May 9 cases, The News reported.
According to sources in the Adiala Jail, an investigation team from Lahore Police, led by DSP Asif Javed, arrived at the prison as per the directives of the ATC.
The 15-member delegation, which included officers from the Punjab Forensic Science Laboratory, sought to carry out a series of examinations, including a polygraph test, photogrammetric analysis, and voice matching.
