DIG Islamabad jailed for delaying the report in PTI protest case
An Anti-Terrorism Court on Tuesday sentenced Deputy Inspector General Muhammad Jawad Tariq to one month behind bars, along with a fine of Rs100,000, after he failed to submit the investigation report, known locally as a challan, despite the court issuing notice after notice demanding it.
The order came from ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra, who made clear during the hearing that his patience had worn thin. According to court proceedings, Islamabad Police had missed multiple deadlines to hand over the investigation report connected to the case, leaving the judge with little choice but to act directly against the officer responsible for overseeing it.
Compounding matters, DIG Tariq did not show up in person despite being formally summoned, a decision the judge specifically flagged before issuing the punishment.
The case itself traces back to a protest staged on October 4, 2024, which ended with police filing a criminal case against PTI leaders and demonstrators at the Margalla Police Station in Islamabad.
Incomplete submissions from investigating officers have been a recurring complaint in several of these proceedings, occasionally prompting judges to take action against police officials rather than just the protesters and political figures originally named in the cases.
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Tuesday's sentencing adds a fairly unusual twist to a legal saga that has otherwise focused almost entirely on PTI figures and supporters. Over the past year, Islamabad's anti-terrorism courts have handed down a string of convictions and arrest warrants tied to the 2024 protest and the broader unrest following the May 9, 2023 riots, with senior PTI leaders, lawmakers, and party workers facing lengthy prison terms in related cases.
Speaking separately on Tuesday, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar welcomed an offer of dialogue from the prime minister, calling political talks the appropriate way to resolve political disputes rather than continued confrontation. He stressed that the country needs more political tolerance and a genuine willingness on both sides to sit down and talk.
Gohar also used the moment to raise a more specific and emotionally charged grievance: restrictions on family visits to PTI founder Imran Khan in jail. He asked that the family be allowed to meet with Khan, arguing that even this small gesture could meaningfully improve the political atmosphere in the country. He didn't stop there, adding that no one in politics should simply be made to disappear from public life.
