Imran Khan Gets Blanket Relief From IHC In All Cases

Web Desk — Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday granted blanket relief to Imran Khan barring authorities from arresting the PTI Chairman in all cases — including undisclosed cases — registered across the country until May 15.

Al-Qadir Trust case

A special division bench headed by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb approved Imran Khan’s bail plea for 15 days in the Al-Qadir Trust case. The PTI chairman was arrested in this case by Rangers from IHC premises on May 9.

Later, the court stopped authorities from arresting Khan till May 17 in any new case filed against him on or after May 9.

Justice Aurangzeb, during the hearing, asked Imran to submit a declaration in court condemning the violence that ensued after his arrest.

Imran Khan’s lawyer Khawaja Haris termed the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) actions illegal saying that NAB could only issue an arrest warrant after an inquiry had formally been turned into an investigation.

Haris continued that the PTI knew the media reports that NAB had formally begun an investigation against Imran. He further said that the PTI chief had approached the IHC on May 9 but was whisked away by the rangers before he could enter the courtroom.

The court asked Khan if he was provided a questionnaire in connection with the case, to his lawyer replied negatively.

Haris told the court that Imran was issued a NAB call-up notice but did not appear because it was not according to the law and that the accountability watchdog was “biased” at the moment.

Having listened to the arguments both by the defense and prosecution, the court accepted Imran’s bail plea. The court then instructed the NAB prosecutor general and Imran’s lawyers to come to the next hearing with proper preparation. The court in its remarks said that in the next hearing, it would decide whether Imran’s bail will continue or not.

Imran Khan Bail in Three Lahore Cases

The PTI chairman sought transitory bail in four cases registered against him in Lahore. In the Zille Shah murder case, the court in these cases awarded him bail till May 22. Another bench barred authorities from arresting Khan till the morning of May 15 while hearing the bail petition filed against three terrorism cases.

In its written orders for all four cases, the court directed Imran to join the investigations.