IHC rejects plea seeking probe into ‘threat letter’

Court fines petitioner Rs100,000 along with verdict

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday rubbished a plea aiming to place the names of the former prime minister Imran Khan and his ex-ministers on the Exit Control List (ECL) in relation to an investigation carried out into the alleged threat letter.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah delivered a five-page long reserved judgment, while imposing a fine of Rs100,000 fine on the petitioner.

The petition was filed by Maulvi Iqbal Haider at the same time of Khan’s departure from the PM House after he was removed from office due to the successful no-confidence vote against him on Saturday night.

During today’s hearing, Justice Athar Minallah inquired why the petitioner was politicizing the issue? “It is the state’s responsibility […] why did you reach out to the court?” Justice Minallah noted.

Haider replied that the controversy had adversely affected Pakistan’s relationship with the US.

He argued that the opposition had filed a no-confidence motion against the then PM Imran Khan, on which Khan first did not respond but then brandished a “threat letter”. Khan alleged that foreign powers were conspiring against his government. Later, the prime minister disclosed that the threat was made by US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu.

Washington rejected the letter and hence, the diplomatic cable should be investigated, pleaded the petitioner.