An Islamabad additional sessions court has dismissed a private criminal complaint against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, four federal ministers, and top security officials over the November 26, 2024, protest crackdown, citing a complete lack of evidence after 19 months. The ruling effectively acquits all named individuals without requiring them to enter a defense, marking a significant legal setback for the PTI. Main Developments Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka dismissed the complaint at the outset of proceedings on Wednesday, ruling that the PTI had failed to provide tangible evidence, a calendar of witnesses, or medical and forensic reports to support allegations of mass murder and excessive force. The complaint, filed by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, accused the prime minister, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, and senior officials including the Islamabad police chief of orchestrating a violent crackdown on the PTI's final protest in the capital. The PTI alleged that 12 workers were killed and hundreds injured or went missing during the November 26, 2024, operation, which it claimed involved sniper fire and tear gas during a power outage. The complaint also stated that a container carrying then-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and former first lady Bushra Bibi came under fire and was later set ablaze. Read also: Why Meta's Pakistan Cybercrime Deal Changes Everything Background The court dismissed the complaint due to the PTI's persistent failure to comply with procedural requirements over 19 months, including recording the complainant's statement on oath — a mandatory first step under Section 200 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Judge Majoka noted that despite multiple opportunities, Barrister Gohar failed to submit a calendar of witnesses, and key eyewitnesses including Gandapur, PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub, and Bushra Bibi never appeared in court to support the allegations. Neither the 38 allegedly injured workers nor the legal heirs of the 12 deceased persons were produced before the court. The judge also rejected a photocopy of an unknown person's death certificate dated December 24, 2024 — a month after the alleged incident — as irrelevant, and noted that no post-mortem or medico-legal reports were submitted. Why It Matters The ruling removes a major legal threat against Pakistan's top political and security leadership, allowing them to operate without pending criminal accusations over the protest crackdown. It also highlights the high evidentiary bar required for private criminal complaints in Pakistan, particularly when alleging state-level conspiracy and mass violence — a precedent that may discourage similar future filings. For the PTI, the dismissal represents a significant legal and political defeat, undermining its narrative of state-orchestrated violence against its supporters. The court's reliance on the Supreme Court's judgment in Muhammad Rajar vs The State emphasized that private complaints cannot be used to level frivolous accusations without substantive forensic evidence. What's Next The PTI has no immediate legal remedy from this ruling, as the complaint was dismissed at the pre-summoning stage, meaning the respondents were never required to enter a defense. The party could potentially file a revision petition in a higher court, but would need to address the procedural deficiencies identified by Judge Majoka — including securing witness statements and medical evidence. The court's observation that the complainant could have sought exhumation of the deceased bodies to determine cause of death suggests a potential avenue if the PTI chooses to pursue the matter further. However, with 19 months already elapsed and no evidence submitted, the prospects for revival appear slim.