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Lahore High Court disposes of another plea in relation to the Election Commission of Pakistan
High drama was witnessed since Monday afternoon in Pakistan as the Lahore High Court granted Pakistan-Tehreek-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan protective bail until March 3 in a case related to party protestors’ alleged rioting and clashes with Islamabad police in October.
The incident happened following the former Pakistani Prime minister’s disqualification by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the Toshakhana reference.
Meanwhile, in another case, related to the protests outside the office of the ECP, the court disposed of the ex-premier’s bail plea after he withdrew his petition.
The day was marred by the protests from PTI workers, who blocked Khan’s motorcade on its way to the court. This forced the court to wait for hours and set multiple deadlines for Khan to appear before it.
Earlier on Monday, February 20, Khan was provided with a last chance to appear in person by 5 pm PST today by the court. A 20-minute drive from Zamaan Park, where Imran was putting up, to Lahore High Court turned into an hour and a half drive as scores of PTI workers gathered at Zamaan Park and outside Lahore High court.
Apprehending that Khan may be arrested, they surrounded the court premises and his cavalcade, virtually holding the entire system hostage.
The 200-odd police personnel in anti-riot gear present at the court for security seemed helpless as the number of supporters was overwhelming.
The two-judge bench had sought the former Pakistan cricket captain’s appearance in a case registered at Islamabad’s Sangjani police station, which also carries offence under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
In the petition filed today, Khan urged the court to grant him 15-day protective bail so that he could approach the relevant court for pre-arrest bail. The petition was fixed for hearing before a two-judge bench led by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi.
The court staff informed Khan’s legal team about the judge’s instructions that the court personnel would wait for 10 more minutes to hear the plea, otherwise, the judges would leave the high court.
Once Khan’s cavalcade reached the court premises, his supporters surrounded it. For another two hours, Khan drama inside the court complex ensued as Khan was forced to stay inside his vehicle by the supporters.
His lawyers and senior PTI members Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Fawad Choudhary appealed to both benches of the high court to consider Khan’s attendance from his vehicle and grant him bail, which the judges refused.
At around 7 pm, Justice Najafi ordered the SSP Security to produce Khan in his court within five minutes. Khan’s counsel had maintained that the police were not cooperating with them.
The bench had adjourned the proceeding for a half hour to let Khan reach the courtroom as a huge crowd prevented the injured Imran from coming out of his vehicle.
Finally, Khan limped his way into the courtroom, surrounded by security and his supporters.
During the hearing of the case, Imran told the court that he respected the courts and added that his doctors had advised him against walking due to his leg injury.
Khan further told the judges that his leg had recovered to some extent but that the doctors had still told him to rest for two weeks. He said that his medical checkup was scheduled for February 28.
Khan further said that he had waited outside the courtroom for an hour, adding that he “fully respects the courts.” The court granted him protective bail till March 3rd and directed him to approach the relevant court by then.
“Under 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,” the court order said.
It was not only Khan who got stuck in the traffic mayhem created by his supporters. His lawyers too faced the heat as the proceedings of the court had to adjourn after the single bench of Justice Sheikh was informed about their absence from the court in a case concerning the verification of Khan’s signatures on three documents – a protective bail petition, an affidavit and a power of attorney.
