Pakistan President Arif Alvi appeared before an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on Friday in connection with a case related to an attack on a television network and Parliament by members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party in 2014.
The attack on the Pakistan Television (PTV) and Parliament House took place on August 31, 2014, during a sit-in protest by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party. The protesters had briefly taken over the control of PTV but were removed from there by the army.
Those booked by the police under Anti-Terrorism Act for inciting violence included PTI chief and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and the party's senior leaders like Mr. Alvi, Asad Umar, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Shafqat Mehmood and Raja Khurram Nawaz.
Joined by his counsel Babar Awan, Mr. Alvi appeared before the ATC judge Muhammad Ali Warraich in Islamabad and filed an application to decline availing presidential immunity under Article 248 of the Constitution.
“I choose to withdraw it (immunity) as I believe there should be no difference between anyone,” he told the court, adding that he also wanted to avoid the tag that he did not appear before the court.
In his interaction with the judge, Mr. Alvi asked for quick dispensation of justice and said that his father had filed a case in 1977 which was still pending.
The case lingered for years before the court completed the hearing and reserved its judgment last month, which will be announced on March 9.
Mr. Alvi said he wanted to make his point before the announcement of the judgment.
After appearing before the court, he told the media that he came to seek justice like any other Pakistani.
“I appeared before the court today as a common citizen and not as the President of Pakistan," he said.
