Pakistani court acquits president, ministers in parliament attack case

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) – A Pakistani court on Tuesday acquitted President Arif Alvi, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and other Cabinet members in a long-running case pertaining to a 2014 attack on the parliament building in the capital Islamabad.

Others exonerated by an anti-terrorism court include Defense Minister Pervez Khattak, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar, and several more provincial ministers and members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Prime Minister Imran Khan was acquitted in the same case in October 2020.

Khan, Alvi and the others were accused of involvement in a mob attack on the parliament premises in late August 2014 during a protest seeking the resignation of the then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

​​​​​​​Alvi, who enjoys presidential amnesty during his five-year stint, gave up the privilege and appeared before the court last week.

At least three people, including a policeman, were killed and dozens more injured in pitched battles between the protesters and security personnel.

The protesters had also briefly taken control of the head office of state broadcaster Pakistan Television.