Imran must appear today if he wants relief: LHC

LAHORE:

 

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday made it clear that if PTI Chairman Imran Khan seeks relief in terrorism cases filed against him, he must appear in court on Tuesday (today).

A division bench, headed by Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi, took up the former prime minister’s plea seeking protective bail in two terrorism cases registered against him in Islamabad following clashes at the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) on Saturday.

The first information reports (FIRs) registered at the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and the Golra Sharif police station stated that the PTI chief and party workers attacked the police and created unrest outside the FJC during the hearing of the Toshakhana case.

As proceedings commenced, Justice Rizvi asked Imran’s counsel, Barrister Salman Safdar, to confirm whether these were the petitioner’s signatures or scanned ones. The counsel argued that these signatures were scanned and of the petitioner.

The counsel argued that two recent FIRs were registered against Imran and others as they reached Islamabad to attend the proceedings in a separate case.

Justice Rizvi remarked, “Where is the petitioner?”

The counsel replied he was not present but would appear by March 21 (Tuesday) and the case proceedings be adjourned.

The counsel said Imran was currently residing at his Zaman Park residence which was “surrounded by police to effect the unlawful arrest”. It was the petitioner’s fundamental right that he be allowed to approach and personally appear before this court and a strict direction be issued to authorities to enable the petitioner to approach “without any mischief by the police”.

Justice Rizvi remarked that if the petitioner wanted relief from the court he must be here in time (2:15pm), adding that any argument about the petitioner’s coming or just reaching the court would not be entertained.

Meanwhile, the division bench granted protective bails to PTI leaders Shah Mahmood Qureshi in two FIRs and Azam Swati in one till March 27. The FIRs were registered against them under different charges, including Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Separately, Islamabad District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal has again summoned Imran on March 30 in the Toshakhana case. The court will hear arguments on the maintainability of the Election Commission of Pakistan complaint. However, the controversy regarding missing order sheet was resolved by the judge himself.

On Saturday, as it was impossible for Imran to enter the courtroom at the FJC due heavy tear-gas shelling, the judge had sent Islamabad Superintendent of Police Muhammad Sami Malik with Barrister Gohar to take  Imran's signature.

“I accompanied the counsel for taking Imran’s signature but when I reached near his vehicle, Barrister Gohar Khan went ahead for taking the signature. [There was] heavy shelling of tear gas and stone pelting and I do not know about the missing order sheet,” a statement submitted by the SP in court said.

However, Barrister Gohar said in a statement: “I got the signature of the accused on the gate of court premises when he was sitting in his vehicle and was unable to reach the courtroom due to heavy shelling of tear gas. There is no justification for concealing/missing of the order sheet by me and I handed it over to Dr Muhammad Sami Malik, SP Islamabad Police.”

An order signed by Judge Iqbal stated, “Muhammad Ashraf, APS, is stating that the missing page of the order sheet is saved in the computer of the court, hence, for resolution of controversy, the missing order sheet is reconstructed.”