Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Friday secured a three-day extension in protective bail till March 27 in five cases registered against him in the federal capital after he personnally appeared before the Lahore High Court (LHC). Khan – who was ousted in April last year via a no-confidence motion – arrived at the LHC in tight security as a two-member special bench, comprising Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh and Justice Anwaar Hussain heard the plea regarding an extension in the protective bail. Last week, Khan secured protective bail in eight terrorism cases and one civil case – a total of nine – after he appeared before the court in person. For the five cases in Islamabad, the court granted bail to Khan till March 24 and for the three cases in Lahore, he received bail for 10 days (March 27).
The verdict was announced minutes after the PTI submitted an affidavit that a bail petition has been submitted in Islamabad. Following the court’s order, the PTI chief’s counsel submitted the affidavit stating that his client’s bail pleas have been submitted in the Islamabad courts. After the submission, the court asked the prosecutor whether he wanted to say something. The prosecutor said that he did not have anything to add. Justice Sheikh said that the court is extending the relief granted to the petitioner as his cases are pending in the Islamabad courts. “If you [Khan] do not get bail there, then you will face the consequences of submitting a fake affidavit.”
He also warned the PTI chief’s counsel that submitting a fake affidavit was tantamount to contempt of court. Earlier, LHC Registrar’s Office had attached objections to the plea as the PTI chief had already obtained bail in the cases. As the hearing began, Khan’s counsel told the judges that the former premier was seeking protective bail in order to go to the federal capital where several political cases have been registered against him. At this, Justice Sheikh said that no such precedence can be pointed out when protective bail is extended. Khan’s lawyer argued that the legal team was also struggling to understand how to secure bail as so many cases have been registered against the deposed prime minister.
Justice Sheikh said that it would have been better if this petition would have been registered in the Islamabad High Court (IHC). Arguing for himself, Khan said that the last time when he went to Islamabad, all roads were blocked, mentioning that he again came in secretly. “In Islamabad, police used tear gas and baton-charged the people due to which we had to return,” the cricketer-turned-politician said, claiming that he “ran from there” in order to save his life. Khan’s counsel told the court that they are only seeking a working day so that they can reach Islamabad; however, the government’s lawyer raised an objection to this.
After hearing the arguments, the two-member bench directed the office to fix Khan’s petition, adjourning the hearing till then. Once the hearing resumed following the court’s direction to fix the petition, Khan’s counsel acknowledged that they know this plea was “extraordinary” as they are seeking an extension in the protective bail. “We have a strong ground,” the lawyers said, at which Justice Sheikh directed them to narrate the incidents that took place since the last hearing on March 17 when he was granted protective bail.
