ATC grants Imran pre-arrest bails in three cases

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Friday granted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan pre-arrest bail in three cases registered against him.

Imran was booked under the charges of ransacking, setting fire to Jinnah House and disrupting the law and order situation following his arrest on May 9.

The ATC judge reserved his decision on the former premier’s plea seeking bail in an FIR registered against him for creating a law and order situation outside his residence at Zaman Park. The decision is likely to be announced on June 2.

The PTI chief appeared in court after receiving permission for his vehicle to enter the ATC premises.

Imran's counsel Barrister Salman Safdar argued that his client was implicated in “forged cases” merely to humiliate him and had nothing to do with these cases.

He said that Imran wanted to join the investigation but had strong doubts about being arrested by the Punjab police, requesting the court to grant him pre-arrest bail.

Meanwhile, Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Anwarul Haq Pannun granted pre-arrest bail to Imran in the murder case of Ali Bilal, commonly known as Zille Shah, till June 2.

As proceedings commenced at the LHC, Justice Ali Zia Bajwa denied hearing this matter owing to personal reasons. Justice Bajwa sent the file to LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti requesting to mark another judge for the same day.

As the proceedings commenced in Justice Pannun’s court, he asked where Imran was, to which the PTI chief's counsel informed the court that he was at another court.

An irked Justice Pannun remarked that the lawyer wanted Imran to be a “ladla” (favourite).

Imran's lawyer requested for 10 minutes, stating that he could not appear before the court due to security reasons. However, Justice Pannun granted Imran pre-arrest bail till June 2.

Earlier, the ATC in Lahore extended the pre-arrest bails of PTI leaders, including Chairman Imran and senior leader Fawad Chaudhry, till May 16.

The bails were granted in connection with different FIRs registered against them for allegedly attacking police officials, creating a law and order situation, setting ablaze state properties at Zaman Park, and Imran's alleged involvement in the Bilal’s murder case.