ISLAMABAD, DEC 11 (DNA) – An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday dismissed a plea filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan’s plea to seek removal of terrorism charges in four cases against him.

ATC Judge Shahrukh Arjumand heard the cases filed against Khan allegedly for inciting his party workers to violence, inflicting losses to state properties including the state television building, the parliament, and injuring Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Asmatullah Junejo during Islamabad sit-ins back in 2014.

At the outset of court proceedings, Khan’s counsel Babar Awan presented arguments against incorporation of terrorism charges against his client in the cases.

He contended that all the cases were filed merely on political differences as his client has been in forefront in the anti-corruption campaign.

“Protest is a fundamental right guaranteed to the citizens by the constitution of country,” Awan argued. He then submitted a plea to seek removal of terrorism charges from the cases.

Opposing the plea, the state prosecutor said there are concrete proofs against the PTI chief of instigating his party workers against the state, inflicting damages to the state properties.

The judge then reserved a verdict on the plea.Khan was booked under terrorism charges back in 2014 allegedly for an assault on state television building and the parliament.