Pakistan court grants ex-PM Imran Khan bail in 7 cases relating to Judicial Complex clashes

Islamabad [Pakistan], March 27 (ANI): Islamabad High Court has granted bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in seven cases registered against him in the wake of March 18 clashes at Federal Judicial Complex (FJC), Dawn reported.

The PTI chief, in the petitions filed in the IHC on Monday, sought protective bail in seven cases registered against him at Golra, Bara Kahu, Ramna, Khanna, and CTD police stations. The cases are connected to the violence that occurred on March 18 outside the Federal Court Complex, where Imran had testified in the Toshakhana case.

The former premier’s petition was considered by a two-person IHC division bench constituting IHC President Justice Aamer Farooq and Judge Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb.

Imran Khan would experience “irreparable loss” if he were detained, according to the pleas, which were submitted through Lawyer Salman Safdar.

They added, “Furthermore, being head of the single largest political party, there is an apprehension that his political adversaries and opponents would be able to further their nefarious designs and political ambitions if pre-arrest bail is not granted to the petitioner.”

A video posted to PTI’s official Twitter account shows the party’s leader approaching the courthouse as a huge contingent of Islamabad police surrounded his car, according to Dawn.

Prior to the hearing, PTI leader Shireen Mazari alleged that the police detained the PTI chief’s photographer, Imran G, as well as three other bystanders as they were travelling to the IHC.

She tweeted, “These 4 unarmed civilians, one of whom is our official photographer, we with Imran Khan car on way to IHC and were arrested without having committed any crime and now apparently taken to Ramna police station. Then we are targeted for criticising the ICT police!”

Videos of PTI party supporters being hauled away by guys wearing civilian clothing can be found on the official PTI Twitter account.

The party asked, “It’s shameful how PTI workers are being arrested in Islamabad today. Why are people not in even in uniform putting our people in prison vans.”
Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Hasan Watto told Dawn that police have held at least 13 PTI supporters.

PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi has challenged the government to move negotiations further with the PTI.

In his interview with Islamabad Today, quoted by Dawn, he said, “We never hesitate from holding talks but their intention has a taint … they talk about holding dialogue but at the same time our supporters and activists are being picked up.”
Qureshi asked rhetorically, “Are they doing all this to make the environment favourable for talks?”

Notably, the Islamabad administration imposed Section-144 (ban on public gatherings) in the capital city on Monday and warned of arrests in case of the violation of its order, Dawn reported.