ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has extended Imran’s interim bail in eight cases pertaining to violence outside the Federal Judicial Complex till May 3. Cases were registered against Imran at Golra, Bara Kahu, Ramna, Khanna, and CTD police stations after the police accused the PTI chief and party workers of being involved in attacking police and creating unrest outside the FJC in Islamabad during the hearing of the Toshakhana case on March 18.
Tuesday, a two-member IHC division bench, comprising IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, accepted the PTI chairman’s request for a bail extension and exemption from appearing before the court yesterday.
During the hearing, CJ Farooq made it clear that Imran’s interim bail in all the cases will be cancelled if he did not appear in court on May 3.
PTI lawyer Faisal Chaudhry, the additional attorney general, and the advocate general appeared in court yesterday.
As the hearing commenced, Imran’s lawyer informed the court that his client had appeared in the LHC today. “He cannot appear in this court due to security reasons,” Chaudhry said.
IHC CJ Farooq asked if all eight cases before the court were filed against Imran. “Do the cases include provisions of terrorism?” he asked.
Imran’s lawyer replied that these eight cases pertained to the judicial complex issue. “We have requested to appear through a video link,” Chaudhry said.
At that, Justice Farooq replied that modern techniques should be used but in accordance with the law.
“This court has not given any extraordinary relief to Imran Khan so that a wrong precedent is not set,” the judge added. “Now tell me a date to fix. Don’t embarrass yourself and this court.”
The IHC chief justice further warned Imran’s counsel not to do anything that would force the court to issue any order. “Imran Khan is a former prime minister,” he said, stressing that this fact should be kept in mind. Subsequently, the hearing was adjourned till May 3. –Agencies
