People will come on streets if anything happens to Imran Khan,  Musarrat Cheema

LAHORE – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday left for Islamabad from Lahore, where he stayed nearly four months after surviving an assassination attempt, to attend hearings of multiple cases against him.

The PTI chief is expected to appear before an anti-terrorism court, a banking court and a district and sessions court in the federal capital to attend the hearing of four cases related to ECP protest, prohibited funding and terrorism charges.

He has been summoned by courts today (Thursday) and is expected to be indicted in a criminal case related to Toshkhana. The former premier was earlier scheduled to fly to the capital city but the plan was changed in the last minute and he is now travelling via motorway.

The PTI, in a tweet, said Mr Khan would reach the Judicial Complex at 11am.

On Monday, a district and sessions court turned down a petition filed by the PTI chairman, seeking relocation of court hearing Toshakhana case and an attempted murder case against him to the judicial complex citing securing reasons.

Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal rejected the petition, saying it was the first time that a court had been asked to change its places for hearing the case. He remarked the cases would not be transferred and ordered Mr Khan to appear before him on Tuesday as he approved one-day extension in his bail.

Attempted Murder and ECP Protest Cases

The case of “attempted murder” was registered at the Secretariat police station in Islamabad against him on the complaint of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha. The PML-N leader claimed that he was attacked when the PTI supporters were protesting disqualification of Mr Khan in the Toshakhana case.

The FIR said the protesters had blocked the Srinagar Highway at the behest of the PTI leaders during which they vandalised and pelted stones.

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Two other cases were registered against Imran Khan, secretary general Asad Umar and 100 party workers under terrorism charges for alleged violence during the protests outside the ECP office in Islamabad. The protests sparked after the electoral body disqualified Mr Khan in the Toshakhana case.

Toshakhana case

Last year, the top electoral body had sent the reference to the district and sessions court under Sections 137, 170, and 167 of the Election Act, seeking initiation of criminal proceedings against Imran Khan for incorrect declaration of assets for 2017-2018 and 2018-19. The ECP, in the petition, has called for a three-year jail term and imposing a fine on the PTI chief.

On Dec 15, the court admitted the commission’s plea against Mr Khan. In its three-page verdict, the court noted that prima facie, the former premier didn’t mention the details of the gifts he acquired from the Toshakhana. In August last, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) moved the ECP against Imran Khan over not filing the details of gifts he obtained from Toshakhana for Rs21.5 million.

Later in October, the ECP, in a unanimous decision, found the former prime minister guilty of “corrupt practices” and disqualified him from being a member of parliament.

Prohibited Funding Case

A criminal case, which is being probed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), was registered against Imran Khan after a fact-finding report of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) found irregularities in the party funds in August last. Later, the ECP sent the case to the FIA for further investigation.

Meanwhile,

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former spokesperson of the Punjab government, Musarrat Jamshed Cheema has said there are no adequate arrangements for the security of Imran Khan, the workers should reach for the protection of the Chairman PTI.

Talking to the media at the time of PTI Chairman’s departure from Lahore to Islamabad, Musrat Jamshed Cheema said Rana Sanaullah and his people have hollowed out the country by harming it. Patriotic leaders of Pakistan are being targeted in order to divert the attention from the current inflation.

She said threats of Maryam Aurangzeb and Uzma Bukhari needs to pay heed on. Any abuse for Imran Khan will not be tolerated. The same people who were nominated earlier will be responsible if something happens.

Mrs Cheema said harming Imran Khan is equivalent to harming Pakistan. “God forbid if anything happens to Imran Khan, people will automatically come out on the streets. Removing the Chairman of PTI is equivalent to inflicting a blow on Pakistan,” she added.

The PTI leader appealed to the court to grant exemption to former Prime Minister Imran Khan from appearing before the court as his life is in danger.