ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC), Thursday, extended interim bails to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in eight cases registered against him till April 18.

A two-member bench, comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb heard the bail petitions in different cases including the judicial complex riot case.

Besides extending Khan’s bail, the IHC bench also accepted the former prime minister’s request seeking exemption from his personal appearance before the court.

During the hearing, the Advocate General (AG) Islamabad, Jahangir Jadoon, said that if Imran Khan did not appear before the court on the next hearing how will the court proceed then.

The IHC chief justice remarked that the petitioner has to appear before the court to file the bail petition but if he did not appear before the court then action will be taken against him as per the law. He added that however, the court does not want to confine him by mentioning this in the order.

In his exemption plea, Khan maintained that more than 140 baseless and fake cases were filed against him by using state machinery for political aims. His counsel said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will lay the foundation stone of the lawyers’ complex in the high court today while Imran’s presence is also subject to tight security arrangements.

He further said that any uncertain situation cannot be overlooked and therefore, the request for exemption from his presence for one day may be granted.

The PTI chairman continued that the police did not provide satisfactory fool-proof security and according to authentic information, there are security threats exist. He further said that his security was withdrawn by the government despite concerns.

Khan said, “I have appeared in courts before, I believe in the rule of law and there is no hesitation in appearing in court.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023