LAHORE: A division bench of the Lahore High Court on Monday referred a petition of former prime minister Imran Khan to the chief justice for its disposal by some larger bench challenging registration of over 100 cases against him.

Earlier, Imran Khan also appeared before the bench along with his counsel and prayed restrain a possible police operation at his residence during the Eid holidays. The counsel of Imran also said that the state machinery was being misused and around 140 cases had been registered against the petitioner. He said the police were complainant in all the cases. The counsel said the police were legally bound to furnish cogent reasons for the arrest of a person. He also said that the petitioner want to appear before the courts of Islamabad on Tuesday (today) to seek bail in nine cases.

He said Eid-ul-Fitr was approaching fast and there was information that the police planned an operation at the Zaman Park residence of the petitioner during the holidays. Imran Khan also came to the rostrum and told the bench that last time the police launched an operation at his house despite a restraining order by the court.

“There is a fear of bloodshed, therefore, I am asking you to stay the police operation,” Khan said to the bench referring to the arrest of PTI leader Ali Zaidi in Karachi.

The PTI chief alleged that the government was not only bent upon putting him in jail but also wanted to kill him. A law officer opposed the petition and argued that the petitioner wanted the court to pass a blanket stay order against his arrest, registration of cases and investigation.

He said the police investigation could not be interfered with by the courts. The bench asked the law officer as if he could undertake in writing that no new case would be registered against the petitioner on similar old charges. The law officer said the petitioner could not seek a relief from the court on the basis of mere apprehensions. He said the conduct of the petitioner was also questionable as he did not appear before the courts whenever summoned but now he personally appeared to seek a relief. The bench adjourned the hearing and returned to the court after a few minutes.

The bench noted that a full bench was already seized with a similar matter, therefore, the petition in hand should also be heard by the same bench. The bench sent the file to the chief justice with a request to fix the hearing of Imran Khan’s petition before the full bench.

The petitioner Imran Khan said at least 121 cases have been registered against the former prime minister in different cities of the country.

He alleged that the respondents have been misusing the authorities to frustrate and disable the petitioner and his party from participating effectively in the upcoming general elections.

The petitioner asked the court to declare all the FIRs, inquiries and call-up notices against the petitioner as illegal and in violation of his fundamental rights. He also urged the court to summon comprehensive reports from the respondents about the cases registered against the petitioner and restrain them from taking adverse coercive measures against him.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023