Imran Khan appears in person before Islamabad court amid heightened security

Islamabad, May 4 (PTI) Amid heightened security, Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan on Thursday appeared in person before a court here which resumed the hearing on his petition in seven different cases.

Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party shared a video on Twitter showing the 70-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician’s car surrounded by his supporters making its way through tight security to reach the entrance of the Islamabad High Court.

Security had been tightened around the court ahead of Khan’s appearance who travelled to the federal capital from Lahore this morning to secure interim bail. Barbed wires and containers were also placed to ensure law and order in the area.

Khan appeared before a two-member Islamabad High Court bench headed by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, which had warned him that it may cancel his interim bail over his persistent absence from hearings.

On April 18, the IHC extended Khan’s bail in eight cases – including those of violence outside the Federal Judicial Complex – till May 3. On Wednesday, the court granted him a day’s extension in bail pleas in nine cases.

Khan’s party released a brief video statement of the party chairman while he was leaving for Islamabad.

“(We) respect the courts, so will appear [before the court] despite pain and swelling in the leg,” said Khan, who was sitting in a wheelchair to be moved to the car.
He said that he was not like “those who create propaganda against the judges” if they don’t get a favourable decision, Geo TV reported.

Khan claimed that he had informed the Lahore High Court that a bid was made to assassinate him.

“Once in Wazirabad and the second time in the Judicial Complex on March 18,” he claimed and urged people to take to the streets in a show of solidarity with Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial.

“The mafia is hell-bent against the chief justice,” he said, adding that “the mafia” had divided the Supreme Court (SC) and had been flouting the Constitution.

He also criticised the incumbent government for “running from the elections” which were supposed to be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the assemblies.

Relations between the judiciary and the ruling coalition have soured ever since the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party-led government has been pushing for the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023 aimed at depriving the office of the chief justice of powers to take suo motu notice in an individual capacity and form a panel of judges for hearing of cases.