\nThe Lahore High Court (LHC) granted PTI chief Imran Khan protective bail in one case registered against him in Islamabad while the second plea, pertaining to protests outside the ECP, was disposed of after the ex-premier withdrew his petition.
\nDuring today\u2019s hour-long hearing, Imran\u2019s convoy faced difficulty in moving towards the courtroom due to the large number of lawyers and supporters gathered.
\nHe finally emerged from his car at 7:30pm despite entering the LHC premises around 6pm and made his way to the courtroom alongside senior PTI leaders Fawad Chaudhry, Asad Umar, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Azam Swati.
\nWhen Imran\u2019s convoy left Zaman Park \u2014 where the PTI chief has been convalescing since being wounded in an assassination attempt during a pitstop his caravan made in Wazirabad while they were marching on Islamabad \u2014 and arrived at the LHC premises, it was showered with rose petals. A large number of PTI supporters had also surrounded the convoy and chanted slogans in support of the ex-premier.
\nPrior to Imran entering the courtroom, Qureshi had told ARY News there were \u201cthousands\u201d of people present outside the court and security arrangements were almost \u201cnon-existent\u201d. He said it was \u201cimpossible\u201d for Imran to step out of his car in such a situation.
\nAhead of today\u2019s proceedings, a large contingent of police personnel was deployed at the main gate of the LHC.
\nImran granted protective bail till March 3
\nEarlier today, Imran had filed a plea seeking protective bail in a case registered at Islamabad\u2019s Sangjani police station, which also carries offence under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, through Advocate Azhar Siddique. On Thursday, the LHC had dismissed a similar petition due to non-prosecution.
\nIn the petition filed today, Imran urged the court to grant him 15-day protective bail so that he could approach the relevant court for pre-arrest bail.
\nThe petition was fixed for hearing before a two-judge bench led by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi. The court staff informed Imran\u2019s legal team about the judge\u2019s instructions that the court personnel would wait for 10 more minutes to hear the plea, otherwise, the judges would leave the high court.
\nImran\u2019s legal team assured the court staff about the PTI chief\u2019s presence.
\nBut when the hearing began, the PTI chief was not present in the courtroom. His lawyer Siddique argued that his client was present inside the LHC premises but could not be presented in the courtroom due to the current situation.
\nHe said that the party\u2019s senior leadership was present inside the courtroom, arguing that the party had not announced that the PTI chief would be appearing before the LHC.
\n\u201cCall it the people\u2019s love of their madness that such a large crowd has gathered,\u201d Siddique said. He added that if Imran stepped out of his car in such a situation, he may risk breaking his leg.
\n\u201cWe have no reservations if the police can bring Imran to court under its security,\u201d he said.
\nAt this, Justice Najafi said that Imran would have to appear in the courtroom and asked who was stopping him from doing so. The lawyer replied that no one had stopped the PTI chairman but security officials were \u201cnot cooperating\u201d.
\nThe court ordered the security SP to immediately present Imran in the courtroom.
\nImran\u2019s counsel lamented that the Punjab police chief had promised that the PTI chief would be brought to the courtroom in 10 minutes.
\nThe court expressed anger at the security head for not presenting Imran in the courtroom and asked about his presence. The security head replied that Imran was in his vehicle and the police superintendent had gone to fetch hi.
\n\u201cYou should go and bring him yourself,\u201d Justice Najafi said. The judge said that it was \u201cno hard task\u201d to bring Imran to the courtroom.
\nThe judge also grilled the security SP about Imran\u2019s whereabouts to which he replied that the PTI chief was present outside Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh\u2019s court. The SP argued that Imran\u2019s lawyers were not allowing him to enter the courtroom.
\nThe court ordered that Imran\u2019s physical presence be ensured. The court directed to present Imran by 7:30pm and adjourned the hearing.
\nWhen the hearing resumed, Imran had finally made his way inside the courtroom. Taking the rostrum, Imran said that his leg had recovered to an extent but the doctors had still told him to rest for two weeks.
\nHe said that his medical checkup was scheduled for February 28. He further said that he had waited outside the courtroom for an hour, adding that he \u201cfully respects the courts.\u201d
\nThe court granted Imran protective bail till March 3 and directed him to approach the relevant court by then.
\nThe written order, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, noted that Imran\u2019s counsel had argued that his client had been falsely implicated in the case. It further noted that Imran wanted to appear before the court with the relevant jurisdiction and needed time to do so.
\n\u201cUnder the law, the petitioner is required to approach the court of first instance but in the interest of justice, we are inclined to grant him ad-interim anticipatory bail protective in nature until March 3 to enable him to approach the court of first instance,\u201d the order said.
\nSingle bench proceedings
\nAs the proceedings commenced today, Justice Sheikh inquired about the whereabouts of the PTI chief\u2019s lawyer. \u201cThe case was fixed for 2pm,\u201d he pointed out.
\nAdvocate Intizar Panjhota replied that Imran\u2019s lawyer was on the way. \u201cHe maybe be stuck in traffic and will soon arrive,\u201d he said, after which the judge adjourned the hearing for a while.
\nWhen the ex-premier\u2019s lawyer, Khawaja Tariq Rahim, appeared in court, he said that his client had reached out to the Punjab inspector-general. \u201cWe were told that traffic on the Mall Road would be empty at the time of today\u2019s hearing.
\n\u201cWe were also told to reach out to the registrar for security inside the court,\u201d he said. \u201cBut the registrar rejected our request for entrance from the Mosque Gate.\u201d
\nMoreover, Rahim contended that the Regal Road was jammed pack today. \u201cImran Khan has himself said in the media that he will go to court. But the situation is such that there are security concerns.\u201d
\nHe went on to say that if his client got the Mall Road \u201cfree\u201d, Imran could appear before the court tomorrow (Tuesday).
\nAt this, Justice Sheikh said: \u201cThe law is the same for everyone. He [Imran] should come from where every common man comes.\u201d
\nThe judge then instructed the Rahim to begin his arguments on the petition. Here, the lawyer said that Imran wanted to withdraw the bail petition.
\n\u201cPresent your arguments on the difference in the signatures,\u201d the judge interjected.
\nImran\u2019s lawyer admitted that there was a difference in the signatures on the affidavit and the power of attorney. \u201cImran Khan has not filed the protective bail,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cImran Khan can even submit this in writing to the court,\u201d he added.
\nAt this, the court remarked that it can issue a contempt notice to Imran and the PTI chief can submit his response on it within three weeks.
\nHowever, the ex-premier\u2019s lawyer argued that contempt of court was not applicable on the matter.
\n\u201cYou\u2019re making a joke out of the law,\u201d the judge said here. \u201cThe way I have accommodated you \u2026 this [normally] doesn\u2019t happen. Imran is a leader [and] a role model. He should remain a role model.\u201d
\nThe ex-premier\u2019s lawyer then sought time till 5pm, promising that Imran would appear before the court by then. Justice Sheikh accepted the request and said that this was the \u201clast chance\u201d.
\nWhen the hearing resumed shortly after 8:30pm, Imran was present in the courtroom. However, the judge remarked that he would hear the case once the courtroom was emptied and went back to his chamber.<\/p>\n
Imran\u2019s request for entrance into LHC via Mosque Gate rejected
\nEarlier today, the court rejected the PTI chairman\u2019s request, submitted via Senator Shibli Faraz, to enter the LHC premises through the Mosque or Judges Gate.
\nThe application, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, had stated that the petitioner was the former prime minister of Pakistan and was recently injured in an assassination attempt.
\n\u201cThe petitioner\u2019s bullet injuries are still under healing process and he has not been allowed by doctors to walk or put pressure on the broken tibia,\u201d it said.
\nIt added that there was a \u201chuge amount of risk and threat\u201d to Imran\u2019s life as the perpetrators and masterminds of the previous attack were still at large and \u201cgiving threats time and again\u201d.
\n\u201cIt is hereby prayed that the petitioner, being the former prime minister, may kindly be allowed to enter the court premises through its Mosque Gate\/Judges Gate due to medical reasons,\u201d the petition pleaded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Lahore High Court (LHC) granted PTI chief Imran Khan protective bail in one case registered against him in Islamabad while the second plea, pertaining to protests outside the ECP, was disposed of after the ex-premier withdrew his petition. During today\u2019s hour-long hearing, Imran\u2019s convoy faced difficulty in moving towards the courtroom due to the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":314945,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-314927","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n