The PTI leader was hurt on November 3 while leading the party's lengthy march in Wazirabad, Punjab, when he was the target of a gun assault. Muazzam Nawaz, a PTI supporter, was murdered in the event, while Imran and 14 other people were injured.
The issue came up during the hearing of a contempt complaint brought by the interior ministry against Imran for allegedly disobeying a ruling issued by the supreme court on May 25 that set the parameters for the party's 'Azadi March' gathering at the time in Islamabad.
The appeal was considered by a five-judge panel that included Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, and Justice Mazahar Akbar Naqvi.
If the attack's FIR was not filed, CJP Bandial threatened to take suo motu notice at the hearing.
Additionally, he questioned the Punjab Inspector General (IG), who attended the hearing via video connection from the SC's Lahore registry, as to why the FIR had not been filed.
He said, "Tell us when the FIR will be recorded," adding that there should be a specific justification for not doing so.
CJP Bandial noted that even though it had been 90 hours since the incident, no FIR had been filed.
"Without it, how will an inquiry be started? And evidence can even be changed without a FIR," he continued.
IG Shahkar informed the court that "we have spoken to the Punjab CM regarding the registration of the FIR and he has expressed some reservations." IG Shahkar has decided to break off relations with the Punjab government and has refused to cooperate with the current political system in the province, which is run by Chief Minister Parvez Elahi.
He continued by saying that a FIR should be filed in response to the heirs of the victim's complaint
Eight IGs have been changed in Punjab, according to Shahkar, in the previous four years.
Don't tell us what alternatives the police have; the criminal justice system and the administration of justice are our top priorities, the CJP observed.
The CJP advised the IG to "work within the law, the court is with you."
The CJP then instructed Shahkar to look into the situation while assuring him that no one would impede his work till he was appointed as the IG.
"IG Sahib, go out your duty. The court would become involved in their job if someone interferes, he said.
"IG sahib, you will be liable in the sou motu notice," the CJP said, threatening to take a suo motu notice if the FIR was not filed.
"Be aware of the gravity of the situation; there was an attempt to assassinate a national leader. Investigate, gather information, and arrange for a forensic examination.
FIR deadlocked
After Imran reportedly refused to remove the name of a senior army commander from the complaint, which also includes the names of the prime minister and interior minister, there has been no progress made toward the filing of a case for the attack.
According to reports, Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, the chief minister of Punjab, is trapped between "the devil and the deep blue sea" since Imran, who practically makes all the decisions for the coalition that controls the government in Punjab, still insists on naming the army commander in the FIR.
Imran questioned the delay in filing the FIR once more on Sunday. He said that the prime minister, interior minister, and a top intelligence officer should all be charged with "hatching a conspiracy to assassinate him."
He continued by saying that even though three days had passed, the matter had not been reported because the Punjab police were "reluctant to file the FIR." He expressed amazement that while the police were willing to identify the prime minister and the interior minister in the case, they were insistent about not adding the name of the military commander in the FIR.
In his statement, he stated that the "relevant policemen asked that they be reassigned from the post...[and] some other officer may lodge the FIR designating suspects identified by me."
Imran questioned the legitimacy of the legal system and said that not even a previous PM could lodge a complaint. People who believe they are above the law, he lamented, "which tragically destroys the entire architecture of the legal system in the country."
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