An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday confirmed the bail of PTI’s Chairman in five cases and extended interim bail in other three FIRs registered by capital police under anti-terrorism laws. ATC Judge Raja Jawad Abbas Hassan heard the bail petitions of the PTI chief in eight cases. The PTI’s head appeared before the court along with his legal team. At the outset of the hearing, Imran Khan’s counsel Salman Safdar Advocate said that his client had joined the investigation in all cases and also appeared before the joint investigation team and answered their questions.
He said that his client had a clean character record and he also had won several awards for the country as a sportsman. He said that PTI’s chief also had been at the forefront of social services as Shaukat Khanum Hospital was its example. The lawyer said that his client always had been respecting the judiciary and appeared before the courts. His client was 71 years old so he was entitled to the relief, he said, adding that after 2022 more than 150 cases had been registered. He said that there was no proof against his client for instigating his followers. The court had already accepted the bail of Asad Umar and other co-accused in a case registered by Sangjani police station. The prosecutor adopted the stance that PTI’s chief had joined the investigation in only five cases. He said that the court was already granting relief to the accused to which he was entitled. He said that Imran Khan instigated the protesters for violence.
He said the PTI chairman was not proven innocent during the investigation, adding that the petitioner have to present the evidence regarding his allegation of dishonesty to the prosecution. He said other co-accused and PTI workers had committed violence at various localities at the instigation of the petitioner as he had the commanding authority in the party. The prosecutor said that as per the eyewitnesses chairman PTI had been giving instructions to his party workers while sitting in his vehicle. The protesters attacked the judicial complex and IHC in the presence of Imran Khan, he said. The IHC had already declared that ATC sections should be applied in these cases.
He further contended that there was no such provision in the law to give relief to an accused due to being old. He said that the petitioner had committed the same offence twice. He prayed the court to terminate the bail petitions of Imran Khan. He said that IHC instructed Imran Khan to maintain peace but he arrived judicial complex along with a mob. The whole leadership of PTI was involved in violence and riot, he said.
The prosecutor said that the police had demonstrated tolerance and avoided violence against the rioters. The court noted that the other court had fixed cases of the PTI chairman for July 4, adding that it wanted to fix the same date due to security issues. The PTI chief on the occasion said that he had never asked his followers for committing violence.
The lawyer said that his client arrived judicial complex for an appearance before the court but a case of terrorism act was registered against him regarding vandalizing. His client had no connection with the violence and vandalizing in the judicial complex, he said. He further said that his client was even not named in the case of the Ramana police station. Imran Khan said that none of his party workers had been involved in burning the vehicle of police as footage of the incidents was on the record. The prosecutor said that the co-accused had confessed that the PTI’s chairman had given instructions for violence.
After hearing arguments, the court confirms the bail of Imran Khan in five cases and extended in other three till July 4.
