ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday extended bail granted to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in an attempted murder case filed by Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha.
A single bench of Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard Khan’s petition and extended bail to the PTI chief till April 6.
The IHC bench also accepted an application seeking Khan’s one-day exemption from his personal appearance before the court and directed the investigation officer and Khan’s counsel to finalise the matter for recording of his statement in the case.
During the hearing, the PTI chairman’s counsel appeared before the court and submitted that his client wanted to appear in this case but he has to appear before the Lahore High Court (LHC). Therefore, he requested the court to grant a one-day exemption to his client.
At this juncture, state counsel Zohaib Gondal informed the court that the petitioner has not joined the investigation as yet. He added that they issued notices twice to him but he did not appear.
Faisal said that if the investigation officer deems Khan’s physical statement necessary then, he will accompany him to Lahore to record Khan’s statement or he can record his statement when Khan will come to Islamabad for his appearance before the court.
Later, the IHC bench extended Khan’s bail and deferred the hearing of the case till April 6 for further proceedings.
The case of attempted murder was registered at the Secretariat police station in the federal capital against him on the complaint of PML-N leader Mohsin Ranjha who claimed that he was attacked by the PTI protesters when he was visiting the office of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on 21.10.2022.
The PTI chairman moved the IHC through his counsels, Barrister Salman Safdar, Intazar Hussain Panjhuta advocate, and others, and cited Ranjha and the state as respondents.
Khan stated in his petition that his opponent political forces who are at the helm of affairs of the federal government, have falsely implicated him in a series of frivolous/ bogus criminal cases registered at numerous forums by misusing state machinery and exercising colourable powers. He added that the instant FIR No 463 / 22 dated 21.10.2022 is also a product of conspiracy and malafide intent of the political rivals/ prosecution to tarnish the petitioner’s reputation.
Khan further said that therefore, the petitioner being aggrieved and determined to prove his innocence in an absolutely false and frivolous case registered with malafide intention and sole aim of blackmailing him.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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