
LAHORE: Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan appeared in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday, seeking bail in five federal capital cases.
Khan, who was deposed by a no-confidence motion in April last year, arrived at the LHC under tight security as a two-member special bench comprised of Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh and Justice Anwaar Hussain heard the plea and determined whether the bail was maintainable or not.
Previously, the LHC Registrar’s Office had attached objections to the plea, despite the fact that PTI chief had already obtained bail in the cases.
As the hearing began, Khan’s counsel informed the judges that PTI chief was seeking protective bail in order to travel to Islamabad, where several political cases against him had been filed.
When asked about this, Justice Sheikh stated that no such precedent can be cited if protective bail is granted again.
Khan’s lawyer argued that the legal team was also unsure how to secure bail because so many cases had been filed against the disgraced prime minister.
According to Justice Sheikh, it would have been preferable if this petition had been filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Arguing for himself, Khan stated that the last time he went to Islamabad, all roads were closed and that he came in secretly even today.
“In Islamabad, police used tear gas and baton-charged the people, forcing us to return,” the cricketer-turned-politician claimed, claiming that he fled to save his life.
Khan’s counsel told the court that they are only seeking one working day to get to Islamabad; however, the government’s lawyer objected.
Following the hearing, the two-member bench directed the office to fix Khan’s petition and adjourned the hearing until then.