Terrorism case: Imran Khan decides not to appear before ATC for bail, say sources

ISLAMABAD: PTI Chairman Imran Khan has decided not to appear before the anti-terrorism court in Islamabad to seek pre-arrest bail in a terrorism case filed against him,  sources in the party told Geo News. 

A day earlier, the IHC granted a three-day transit bail to former prime minister Imran Khan in the terrorism case — till August 25. The plea was filed through Khan's counsels, Faisal Chaudhry and Babar Awan, in the capital's top court after a late-night drama at Bani Gala — where police and PTI workers almost came face-to-face following reports that arrest warrants have been issued for the PTI chairman.

The IHC, however, had asked Khan to approach the anti-terrorism court (ATC) — as it is the relevant forum in the case.

IHC registrar raised three objections

IHC's registrar office raised three objections on the plea filed by Imran Khan’s counsel.

• Imran Khan did not undergo bio-metric verification before filing the plea.
• He approached IHC instead of the relevant ATC court.
• He didn’t provide a verified copy of the terror case.

Nevertheless, Imran Khan secured a transit bail till August 25 from the IHC, which overruled the registrar office's objections and asked Khan to approach an ATC by August 25..

Sources said that Imran Khan will meet members of his legal team this evening again and hold consultations with PTI's political committee. They said that he will approach the ATC after the upcoming PTI rally in Haripur.

The case

A first information report (FIR) was registered against former prime minister Khan under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for threatening an additional sessions judge and senior police officers of the Islamabad Police at a rally in the federal capital’s F-9 Park on August 20.

"We will not spare you. We will sue you," Khan said in the speech that named the police chief and the judge involved in the case against his aide Shahbaz Gill.