ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), on Wednesday, extended interim bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran till July 26 in three cases registered related to the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) attack.

ATC judge, Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain, extended interim bail of Khan in two cases registered at Ramna and one case at Golra police station. Khan along with his counsel, Salman Safdar, appeared before the court.

At the start of the hearing, the judge expressed anger over the police and told them that if the accused is innocent then declare him innocent. “If you have any evidence then present it before the court,” the judge said, adding that “if you failed to conduct a transparent and appropriate investigation he will summon the Inspector General of Police (IGP). You should keep in mind that the investigation should be transparent,” he said.

The judge said “this is a joke, I will never let this happen.”

Khan’s counsel said they had implicated the former prime minister in those cases and if they had nothing then inform the court. “If there is nothing then we will take back our bail application,” he said, adding police were serving as both the complainant and also investigators in those cases.

The counsel requested the court to fix the hearing of the case after Ashura because he did not work during those days. The judge summoned the PTI chief at the rostrum and after hearing the arguments extended the bail till July 26.

When Khan was asked when he was on his way to another court about the statement of Azam Khan, Khan’s former principal secretary, he said Azam Khan was an honest man and he would not believe it until he heard it from him personally.

Meanwhile, the PTI chief also appeared before Judicial Magistrate Malik Aman in a judge threatening case and Khan’s counsel, Salman Safdar, represented him in the court.

Safdar, while arguing before the court, said that false cases had been filed against his client, and he pointed out that the police were acting as both complainant and investigators.

He further said Imran had a clean record with no prior criminal involvement throughout his 71 years of life. Terrorism charges were unjustly filed against Imran, and he questioned the ongoing nature of the case despite the lack of witnesses and evidence.

He also pointed out that neither a female judge nor the IGP had come forward as witnesses, yet warrants were continuously being issued against him. The lawyer raised concerns about how charges could be framed against his client without recording statements under Section 161 of the Pakistan Penal Code. He insisted that the case was fabricated for political motives.

The PTI chief came to the rostrum and told the court that he used those words during his speech emotionally. He added that he had even personally visited Judge Zeba Chaudhry’s court to offer his apologies for those remarks. He had always been a law-abiding citizen and had never violated the law throughout his life, he said, adding that “I apologise if my statement hurt someone.”

The prosecutor told the court that if the matter was simple then the Islamabad High Court (IHC) might have quashed the case. It would be cleared in the trial which action he should have not taken, he said.

The prosecutor expressed surprise and concern over the fact that both the judge and the IGP did not provide their statements in the case. However, he clarified that the judge’s statement would have been recorded if she had been present at the location where the threatening remarks were allegedly made.

Separately, Additional Sessions Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra also extended the interim bail of Imran Khan in six cases registered in connection with May 9 demonstration till July 25. These cases are registered against Khan in Tarnol, Kohsar, Karachi Company, Ramna, and Secretariat police station.

During the hearing, the judge called the PTI chief to the rostrum and told him as per the investigation officer he had not joined the investigation in three cases. The PTI chairman told the court that he tried his level best to join the investigation. “The number of cases against me has reached 180,” he added.

The judge remarked that the total number of cases against the PTI chairman was 160 till the previous hearing. The court extended interim bail of Khan till July 25 and directed him to join the investigation in the three cases.

Later, he appeared before the Additional Sessions Judge, Farrukh Fareed, in two other cases registered against him in Shehzad Town police station. The court after hearing arguments confirmed Khan’s bail.

Furthermore, the former premier appeared before Additional Sessions Judge Sikandar Khan in two cases registered against him at Margalla and Khanna police stations.

The court after hearing arguments confirmed Khan’s bail.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023