Can’t bent rules for Imran, IHC tells counsel

PTI chief gets one last chance to appear in court in person today to get pre-arrest bail

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has given one last chance to former premier Imran Khan to appear in the court in person by today (Thursday) if he wants to get pre-arrest bail, noting that it cannot bend rules for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief just because he is a “privileged” person.

“The applications for pre-arrest bails will be considered dismissed, if Imran Khan does not appear in court tomorrow,” said IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq Wednesday while hearing applications seeking the PTI chief’s pre-arrest bails in nine different cases related to sedition, attempted murder and vandalism.

“Tells us the law which gives an accused seeking pre-arrest bail an exemption from personal appearance in court? And what about the accused not cooperating in the investigation?” Justice Farooq, who was leading a division bench also comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, noted.

 Imran’s counsel Salman Safdar earlier told the bench that the former premier has sought an exemption from appearing in the court on medical grounds.

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He said Imran, who received bullet wounds during an assassination attempt in November last year, suffered from leg swelling when he appeared in the Lahore High Court (LHC) the other day. “Yesterday he had to be taken to a hospital. Imran is 71 and at this age, wounds take time to heal,” Safdar said.

The bench, however, took exception to the medical reports of a private hospital. “Why don’t you get a report from a government hospital? As you know, only reports of a government hospital are admissible in criminal cases,” the CJ noted.

Advocate General Islamabad Barrister Jahangir Jadoon said the petitioner submits reports of his own Shaukat Khanum Hospital. “They have their own hospital and their own doctors; they can present a medical report, stating that Imran cannot go anywhere till next six months,” he said.

Expressing displeasure over the PTI chief’s continued absence, the court noted that Imran’s counsel sometimes claim that his life is in danger and sometimes he has pain in his legs.

“He has not appeared in the court in the last two hearings. If we exempt Imran from appearing in the court then tomorrow any criminal will present this case as a precedent for getting pre-arrest bail without appearing in the court,” Justice Farooq said.

Barrister Safdar, however, assured the court that the PTI chief would appear in the court today even if he had to come in an ambulance.

The court noted that it could not bend rules for an individual. The court would reject all Imran’s applications for pre-arrest bails if he failed to appear in the court on Thursday [today], it said.