Â鶹ӰÊÓ

Skip to main content

Court orders charges against ex Pakistani PM Khan dropped

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, centre, in Islamabad, on Sept. 8, 2022. (W.K. Yousafzai / AP) Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, centre, in Islamabad, on Sept. 8, 2022. (W.K. Yousafzai / AP)
Share
ISLAMABAD -

A Pakistani judge Monday ordered police to drop terrorism charges against former prime minister Imran Khan for verbally threatening police officers and a female judge at a political rally last month.

The charges followed a speech Khan gave in the capital Islamabad last month in which he vowed to sue the city of Islamabad police chief and a judge for allowing police to question Shahbaz Gill, who is chief of staff at Khan's Tehreek-e-Insaf political party.

Khan made the controversial remarks after being told that Gill had been allegedly tortured by police following his arrest on charges of inciting troops to mutiny.

Fawad Chaudhry, a leader at Khan's party, hailed the court order by Athar Minallah, the chief justice at the court in Islamabad.

Khan, a former cricket star turned politician who came to power in 2018, is currently on bail, which shields him from arrest in several cases.

Before the latest court order, Khan faced several years in prison under Pakistan's 1997 anti-terrorism law, which granted police wider powers amid sectarian violence in the country.

Khan was removed from power in April through a no-confidence vote in parliament. Since then, he has been holding rallies across the country to pressure Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif to agree to snap elections. Sharif has rejected the demand.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Childhood sleep issues may raise suicide risk, study finds

If your child sometimes has trouble sleeping, it may be easy to chalk it up to a phase they will grow out of one day. But a new study suggests possible serious consequences for this line of thought — such as a higher risk for suicidal ideation or attempts when they are older.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.