Imran gets bail in ECP protests case

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court in the federal capital on Tuesday granted interim bail to PTI chief Imran Khan in a case pertaining to protests outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

ATC judge Raja Jawad Abbas announced the verdict after the former premier appeared before the judge amid tight security nearly after four months as he was recovering from the bullet wounds.

A number of PTI leaders and workers barged into the judicial complex by removing the hurdles placed by security officials to avoid any utoward situation.

The Islamabad police had booked the PTI chief and scores of party workers on terrorism charges in October last year in the wake of protests which sparked after the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified him in the Toshakhana reference.

The First Information Report (FIR) registered against the party leaders and workers claimed the protesters had pelted stones at the police and FC officials, inflicting injuries to many.

Meanwhile, a banking court has also approved his pre-arrest bail in the prohibited funding case. Special Judge Rakhshanda Shaheen announced the verdict. Earlier in the day, the PTI chief reached the judicial complex in the federal capital amid tight security and huge presence of party workers.

Mr Khan appeared before the court for the first time nearly after four months as he was recovering from the bullet wounds he suffered in an assassination attempt in Wazirabad. During Tuesday’s hearing, special prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi pleaded the court to cancel Mr Khan’s bail, saying he was not cooperating with the investigators.