IHC grants interim bail to Imran Khan in seven cases

Islamabad_The Islamabad High Court has ordered the government not to arrest PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan in seven cases for which he has filed protective bail in the court,

Two-judge IHC bench led by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb conducted the hearing of the case and granted interim bail to Imran Khan in seven cases and issued notice to the federal government.

During the proceedings, IHC CJ Aamer Farooq remarked that it was not a wise move on the part of the government to withdraw PTI chief’s security.

While granting interim bail to Imran Khan, the CJ told him that he must go to the anti-terrorism court to get permanent bail.

“However, we will hear your case in this court till the issue of your security is resolved,” the chief justice said.

He also sought a reply from the federal government why did it withdraw the former prime minister’s security.

CJ Farooq asked Imran’s lawyer Salman Safdar to explain why he bypassed the trial court and moved to the IHC.

The lawyer said that the Lahore High Court granted protective bail to Imran but when his client went to appear before the sessions court the very next day, he was not granted permission to enter the court.

He said that Imran was facing extreme security threats and a law and order situation was created on his arrival to the Judicial Complex.

On this, CJ Farooq remarked that today again there was a law and order situation.

The lawyer didn’t agree with the judge saying the law and order was under control today.

The chief justice remarked if 5,000 to 10,000 people throng the place, then the law and order situation creates.

The lawyer said the PTI chief doesn’t ask people to come to the court.

The chief justice remarked the court understands that his client is the head of a big political party and he has his following.

He said that the security threats to the former premier must be genuine as he had been attacked once.

Justice Hassan remarked that the court had asked the chief election commissioner to provide security to Khan several times.

At this, Islamabad Advocate General Jahangir Jadoon maintained that the trial court was shifted to the judicial complex from F8 katchehri court.

“Imran Khan has the responsibility to ensure a peaceful environment. He didn’t even get off the car and people burned cars,” he said.

At this, Justice Farooq remarked what the petitioner would do if the administration gave irresponsible statements.

At one point, Imran Khan tried to come to the rostrum but CJ Farooq asked him to sit on his seat as his lawyer would give arguments.

During the hearing, a heated argument took place between Islamabad advocate general and PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry over security issue.

When advocate general said that he, too, talked about security, Fawad told him off saying he did not talk about it.

Fawad said the AG was lying.

On this, the AG said ‘no one lies more than Fawad’.

The court, however, asked both of them not to indulge in cross talk.

Earlier, former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan filed seven petitions in the high court seeking pre-arrest bail in seven cases registered against him following clashes between the PTI workers and the police on his arrival at Federal Judicial Complex on March 18.

The two-judge bench heard his petitions along with the objections raised earlier by the registrar office.

The pleas, filed through Barrister Salman Safdar, stated that Imran would suffer “irreparable loss” if he was arrested.

The PTI chairman was seeking bail in seven cases registered against him at Golra, Bara Kahu, Ramna, Khanna, and CTD police stations.

The cases are related to violence outside the Federal Judicial Complex on March 18 — where Imran had appeared in the Toshakhana case.

Earlier, the IHC registrar office raised two objections to the petitions. It objected that Imran Khan’s bio matric was not certified and how the petitions could be filed in the IHC prior to their filing in a trial court.

Security officials stop Imran’s vehicle at IHC gate

When Imran Khan reached the court, security stopped his vehicle at the IHC gate. They said that extra people were sitting in the SUV. They said that only Imran and his vehicle were permitted to go inside the court.

The security officials disembarked Saifullah Niazi and Sheharyar Afridi from the vehicle.

Saifullah Niazi reached the court in the vehicle of the Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister.

The security officials have covered the screen of bullet-proof vehicle of Imran Khan with a bullet-proof jacket.

The PTI on its official Twitter account uploaded a video showing the PTI chairman entering the court and his vehicle surrounded by security officials.