Judicial Complex violence: ATC grants Imran bail in eight cases

An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad granted on Tuesday Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan bail in eight cases pertaining to the violence at the Judicial Complex.

Imran has been granted bail till June 8. In March, Imran as well as other PTI leaders were booked for their alleged attack on policemen outside Federal Judicial Complex as the former PM appeared to attend hearing in the Toshakhana case.

The complaint invoked sections 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 380 (theft in dwelling house, etc), 395 (punishment for dacoity), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage to amount of one hundred rupees), 440 (mischief committed after preparation made for causing death or hurt) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Earlier today, the former PM had left for Rawalpindi to appear before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the £190 million National Crime Agency (NCA) scam [Al-Qadir Trust case].

His wife, Bushra Bibi also secured bail in the case earlier today.

Imran’s legal team comprising Salman Safdar, Khawaja Haris, Intezar Panjotha, Gohar Ali Khan and Ali Aijaz accompanied him.

Ahead of his appearance, police forces and Rangers had been stationed outside the NAB office in Rawalpindi.

During the last hearing, the former PM did not appear before the bureau, saying that he is on bail till May 22, therefore, he cannot appear before it in person.

The NAB had summoned Imran in connection with an investigation related to £190 million settlement from the UK commonly known as the Al-Qadir Trust case for recording his statement.

In a five-page written response submitted to the anti-graft body, the PTI chief informed the corruption watchdog that he was in Lahore and has been seeking bail in multiple cases on the orders of IHC till May 22, therefore, cannot appear before the NAB in person.

The PTI chief said the NAB call-up notice is “illegal” and as per the record no “corrupt practices” were unearthed. The motive behind turning inquiry into the investigation is to politically victimize me, he alleged.

“I may however, add here that all the allegations made by you in the subject call up notice are absolutely false, frivolous, and concocted, and based on a deliberate misconception of law and facts, and baseless conjectures and surmises. No case of corruption or corrupt practice is made not from the facts and circumstances existing on the record, rather the entire object of initiating the inquiry and investigation in the case is politically motivated and, to say the least, is based on facts extraneous to law,” the PTI chief told NAB.

‘80 percent chance of my arrest on May 23’

On Sunday, the former premier said that there was an 80 percent of chance of his arrest in Islamabad on Tuesday (today).

“On Tuesday, I am to appear in Islamabad for bail and there are 80 percent chances I will be arrested,” Imra said during an interview with CNN journalist Farid Zakaria.

“Everything is being done to dismantle our democracy. So right now, over 10,000 workers have been arrested, and my entire senior leadership is in jail,” he said.

Imran said the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government was currently “aligned” with the military establishment, and was “dismantling the democratic system to keep me out.”

“The way they have used the pretext of arson […] they have used that reaction after my arrest to dismantle the party,” he said, adding that hundreds of women and children have been jailed following the May 9 violence.

“They are now trying to try us in the military courts.”

Imran said the government wanted to “bump him off” because it was scared of losing elections.

No fight with army, says Imran

In an address to supporters via Twitter Spaces on Monday, the PTI chairman reiterated that he had no fight with the Pakistan Army, saying he only demands elections in the country.

Imran said that whenever he criticised the army, it was the same way he criticise his children.

“I would never want our army to get weakened.”