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Thursday March 28, 2024

LHC fixes Imran Khan’s plea for tomorrow; grants bail to Bushra Bibi

Bushra Bibi secures protective bail in Al-Qadir Trust case till May 23

By Azam Malik
May 15, 2023

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday directed registrar office to fix Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan's petition seeking bail for tomorrow, while it also granted bail to Bushra Bibi till May 23.

Two days after his dramatic release, the former prime minister arrived at the high court along with wife, Bushra Bibi, amid tight security to seek bail and details of cases registered against him from May 9 onwards — when the former prime minister's arrest and brief detention sparked days of deadly unrest.

Last week, the former prime minister was taken into custody on graft charges by paramilitary Rangers during a routine appearance at Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday (May 9).

The arrest brought his supporters onto the streets with government buildings set ablaze, roads blocked and damage to property belonging to the army, which they blame for Khan’s downfall.

On Friday, Khan was freed on bail after his detention was declared unlawful by the Supreme Court and claimed he was "treated like a terrorist".

The 70-year-old — still staggeringly popular after being ousted last April — had requested the IHC to grant him bail in cases pending under LHC in order to give him time to appear before the latter.

In his petition — submitted on Saturday — Khan stated that he has been nominated in several cases and he can be arrested in any of the case.

“I am being targeted for political revenge,” the PTI chief mentioned in the petition — in which he has made the Punjab inspector general and advocate general respondents in the case.

In the plea, Khan has sought the details of the cases registered against him in the light of countrywide protests that broke out following his arrest, as well as immunity against being detained. 

However, the registrar has raised some concerns over the petition which was cleared by the Khan's legal team today his appearance after which the LHC directed the court office to fix Khan's plea for hearing tomorrow.

It should be noted the registrar had raised the objection that Khan’s lawyers did not attach an attested copy of the Supreme Court’s verdict along with the petition.

During a brief hearing Khan’s counsel Barrister Salman Safdar presented his arguments, saying that the after the incidents that took place on May 9, his client fears that he would be arrested again.

Bushra Bibi secures protective bail in Al-Qadir Trust case

Bushra Bibi — who was also allegedly involved in the Al-Qadir Trust case in which Khan was arrested — appeared before Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi to seek protective bail.

Justice Rizvi expressed his anger over the ignorance of the petitioner as the case was called thrice but Bushra Bibi did not appear.

However, after Khawaja Haris excused the court granted protective bail till May 23.

'They plan to humiliate me by putting Bushra Bibi in jail'

Earlier today, Khan said accused the Shehbaz Sharif-led government of planning to use some sedition law to keep him inside the jail for next ten years under the London Plan.

He, in a thread shared on Twitter, claimed that the coaliation government also plans to  humiliate him by putting his wife Bushra Bibi in jail.

LHC fixes Imran Khan’s plea for tomorrow; grants bail to Bushra Bibi

The cricketer-turned-politician has been agitating for early elections after getting ousted in April 2022 in a no-confidence vote. Khan has shown no signs of backing down against the government and the army and is seeking support from the Supreme Court to hold polls in two provinces for a start.

Khan has become entangled in a slew of legal allegations since he was removed from power in April last year by a no-confidence vote in parliament and then launched a defiant campaign against the military.

General elections are due no later than October, and the PTI chief has accused the incumbent coalition government of ousting him in cahoots with top generals.

He has also made explosive claims that they masterminded a November assassination attempt, which saw him shot in the leg as he campaigned for snap polls.