Bail hearing circus

Former prime minister Imran Khan’s efforts to hijack control of the political narrative of the country reached farcical levels on Monday, as thousands of PTI supporters flooded the LHC in what the party’s opponents are branding a clear attempt to influence the judiciary. The heated events outside the court followed on the heels of the strange case of Imran’s signature being forged on another bail application. Although that was probably wrongdoing on his lawyer or support team’s part, rather than Imran himself, submission of forged documents in court is no small matter, yet it appears no one will be punished for it.

Meanwhile, Imran missed several deadlines to appear before the court, with analysts noting that his lawyers’ comments in court did not match up with events at his Zaman Park residence — such as assurances to the court that Imran was on the way when he was still at home. Even when he got to court, he cited the security risk presented by the large crowd of his own supporters and refused to come in for over an hour, with his lawyers even asking for the court to send someone to his car to verify he was in the area.

PTI leaders’ efforts to disassociate themselves from the crowd of party workers and supporters fall completely flat — Imran and other party leaders have been riling up supporters for several days. But regardless of that, all Imran needed to do was ask his supporters to show respect for the court and go home. We are sure that his supporters would have listened to him, but also acknowledge that doing so would have thrown cold water on his claim that the crowd was blocking his entry to the courts. Some leaders appeared to invite state violence by claiming it was the court’s duty to ensure Imran could enter the courtroom.

But at the end of it all, critics are most concerned about why Imran is getting away with calling on his supporters to go to jail for him and constantly mocking his opponents for having applied for bail on the grounds of illness, when he himself is trying so hard to stay out of jail, including by claiming illness.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22^nd, 2023.

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