LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday granted interim protective bail to PTI Chairman Imran Khan in four cases — two terrorism cases lodged in an Islamabad police station and two National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cases.

Unlike previous hearings, the former prime minister this time appeared before the high court without a convoy of his workers. At a previous hearing, a judge hearing his bail petition had remarked against leading processions to the courts. But the party workers, though fewer in number, still reached the court to express solidarity with their leader.

The vehicle of Mr Khan was also allowed to enter the premises of the LHC in addition to strict security arrangements made for his appearance by his private security. Imran Khan was guarded with bulletproof shields from his vehicle to the courtrooms.

At the outset of the hearing, a two-judge bench comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Farooq Haider directed the PTI chief to sign the petitions and the affidavits.

Justice Sheikh seeks details of cases registered against Imran

The cases against Mr Khan were registered by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and the Golra police accusing the PTI chief and his workers of attacking the police teams and creating a law and order situation outside the Federal Judicial Complex during the appearance of the former premier in the Toshakhana case on March 18.

On behalf of Mr Khan, Barrister Salman Safdar argued before the bench that the petitioner wanted to appear before the courts of the relevant jurisdiction in Islamabad for pre-arrest bail. He asked the bench to grant protective bail to the petitioner as the police wanted to arrest him.

The bench allowed the protective bail to Imran Khan in the Islamabad cases till March 27 with a direction to appear before the court concerned before the next hearing.

Later, the PTI chairman appeared before another division bench comprising Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi for the hearing of his bail petition in the NAB cases.

The counsel apprised the bench that the NAB summoned the petitioner in two inquiries relating to the Toshakhana case. He said the NAB issued two call-up notices to the petitioner. He said the petitioner wanted to approach the courts of Rawalpindi for pre-arrest bail, therefore, he should be granted protective bail.

The bench allowed the petitions and granted protective bail to Imran Khan in the NAB inquiries for 10 days.

Contempt plea against police

The PTI chairman also appeared in the court of Justice Tariq Saleem to plead a petition seeking contempt proceedings against the caretaker government of Punjab and the police for carrying out an operation at his residence allegedly in violation of a court’s order.

Mr Khan came to the rostrum and stated that he reached the LHC without a convoy and in a vehicle not in his use due to security reasons. He said police attacked his house in his absence and his wife was alone at home.

Justice Sheikh rejected a request from a provincial law officer to transfer the petition to any other judge. The judge also warned the law officer of contempt proceedings and directed him to submit a reply to the petition on behalf of the government.

The judge further directed a lawyer from the federal government to submit details of the cases registered against the former prime minister in Islamabad and other provinces. The judge retrained the police from any adverse action against Mr Khan till the submission of the details of the cases. The court would resume further hearing on Wednesday (today).

Earlier, a report was filed on behalf of the Punjab inspector general of police revealing that as many as six cases had been registered against the PTI chief and others in the province.

The report said four cases registered in Lahore are under investigation while one case in Faisalabad had been discharged. It said the PTI chief had been declared innocent in a case registered by Rawalpindi police.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2023