PTI removes 'irrelevant' respondents in Imran's video link plea

Imran requests 'no adverse action and no arrest' until he is provided proper security for court appearances

LAHORE:

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday ensured the Lahore High Court (LHC) of removing names of irrelevant respondents named in the party chief’s plea for “foolproof security and permission to mark his attendance into court’s proceedings through video link”.

Justice Shahid Karim removed objections of the registrar's office and sent the case file to LHC chief justice to mark it to the appropriate bench hearing the plea.

As proceedings commenced, Justice Karim asked PTI's counsels about the objections over adding irrelevant respondents in the petition and missing attested copies of some documents.

To this, the counsels ensured the removal of irrelevant respondents.

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In a petition filed a day earlier, Imran Khan requested the court to direct the concerned quarters not to take any adverse action against him until he is provided proper security for court attendance and appearances.

Sharing information from his credible sources, Imran contended in his petition that “he would yet again be targeted during his exposure in the court hearings and appearances”.

The former prime minister submitted that his popularity in the political arena has become a cause of concern for his political adversaries who after the failure of several criminal cases have now resorted to the opinion of “eliminating him altogether for the political scene as final disposal”.

He also stated that since he was ousted from the government, the present regime decided to lodge a series of bogus cases against the him and senior leadership of PTI who were also subjected to torture on the basis of serious charges like sedition and mutiny.

“All state machinery was misused with sole object of political victimization and score settling. Being aggrieved with malicious campaign launched against him and senior members by registering baseless and false cases across Pakistan, the PTI decided to protest against incumbent Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and announced “haqeqi Azadi March,” the petition read.

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The ousted premier contended that the assassination attempt was properly planned and executed at the behest of the political adversaries of the petitioner who were of immense popularity.

“The petitioner wishes to fight with politically motivated cases but due to inadequate arrangements he remained unable to attend some hearings physically, the petition added.

Imran, in his petition, also sought strict action against respondents for failing to maintain law and order in court premises during his court proceedings.

The petition further sought “no adverse action and no arrest” until he is provided proper security for court attendance and appearances.