LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday granted protective bail to the former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan till March 3 in ECP protest case, while disposed of another plea after the ex-premier withdrew his petition.
A two-member bench of the LHC led by Justice Baqir Ali Najfi resumed the hearing after a brief adjournment. The court also barred police from arresting Imran Khan.
Earlier, upon arriving at the LHC facility around 6 o’clock, Imran took over an hour and a half to enter the courtroom while waiting outside. The massive group of attorneys and supporters there made it difficult for his convoy to move towards the courthouse.
The former premier is joined by senior PTI figures Fawad Chaudhry, Asad Umar, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and Azam Swati.
On Monday afternoon, the former prime minister left for LHC after he was directed by the court to appear by 5pm.
Television footage showed Imran’s convoy being showered with rose petals as it travelled to the LHC, with a sizable crowd of PTI supporters encircling the cars and singing pro-Imran slogans.
Protesters can be seen trying to force their way into the court, but law enforcement agencies are trying to stave them off.
At the hearing today, Imran’s lawyer, Khawaja Tariq Rahim said that they were told that traffic on Mall Road would be empty at the time of today’s hearing.
However, Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh said: “The law is the same for everyone. Imran should come from where every common man comes.”
Imran had to attend two separate hearings. In the first, a two-judge LHC bench heard Imran’s plea for protective bail in a case registered against him in Islamabad. The court granted Imran protective bail till March 3.
The PTI chief apprised the court that he wanted to withdraw his bail plea. Imran expressed remorse over the inconvenience caused by him and offered an unconditional apology.
Accepting his apology, the court then disposed of the case.
Speaking to the media, PTI leader Senator Shibli Faraz said that the request was made due to security and medical reasons.
He said due to his health conditions, Imran could not bear any shoving and pushing. The former PM is ready to appear before the court, but some security prerequisites are needed first, he said.
چیئرمین عمران خان کی زمان پارک سے لاہور ہائیکورٹ روانگی کے مناظر۔ #لاہور_ہائیکورٹ_پہنچیں pic.twitter.com/0ShsuKyIBp
— PTI (@PTIofficial) February 20, 2023
The case
A case was filed against Imran after party workers took to the streets and held demonstrations outside ECP offices across Pakistan after the ECP disqualified Imran in the Toshakhana case.
On Thursday, the LHC had rejected Imran’s bail plea over non-appearance and directed him to appear before the court on February 20 (today). Imran’s lawyer Azhar Siddique submitted his power of attorney on behalf of the former prime minister, who had been asked to appear before the court in person.
Siddiqui told Justice Sheikh that his client wanted to withdraw his bail application as the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had already granted relief to Imran – last week, the IHC had barred a banking court from passing any direction on the former PM’s bail plea in a prohibited funding case.
