Long march vandalism: Imran Khan’s pre-arrest bail confirmed in 10 cases

ISLAMABAD: PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s pre-arrest bail was confirmed on Saturday in 10 cases registered against him over vandalism during the party’s May 25 Azadi March. The former premier appeared in District and Sessions Judge Kamran Basharat Mufti’s court to request bail in 11 cases. Bail was granted in 10 against surety bonds of Rs5,000 each. It should be noted that after the long march, at least 15 cases were registered in different police stations against the former prime minister. On July 21, the District and Sessions Court extended the interim bail of the PTI chairman till July 30 in 10 cases. Judge Mufti had approved a plea by Imran’s lawyer seeking an exemption from personal appearance that day.

During the course of proceedings that day, the counsel pleaded with the court to also grant his client interim bail in a case registered at the Kohsar police station. At this, the judge remarked that since he was seeking a fresh bail in the case, personal appearance of the suspect was necessary, which is why Imran had to appear in the court on Saturday. The court is yet to announce its decision on a bail plea in the case registered at the Kohsar police station.

It is pertinent to mention here that Imran Khan’s bail in five other cases had already been confirmed by Judge Abdul Ghafoor Kakar. On May 28, the Islamabad Police registered cases against PTI Chairman Imran Khan and other senior leaders, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Asad Umar, following riots in the federal capital during the march. Apart from the top brass, Shireen Mazari, Zartaj Gul, Ali Amin Gandapur and Raja Khurram Nawaz have also been named in the first information reports (FIRs). The cases were registered over blocking of roads, disrupting state affairs, attacking police personnel and damaging property. The police had registered cases at the Aabpara, Kohsar, Tarnol, Lohi Bhair, Ramna, Bhara Kahu and the Secretariat police stations.