Pakistan High Court approves Former PM Imran Khan’s interim bail

Date: 21st March 2023

Moksh Suri 

Pakistan and Human Rights Researcher 

Global Human Rights Defence

Picture from www.geo.tv (Geo News Pakistan) 

The Lahore High Court (LHC) granted protective bail to the former Pakistan Prime Minister and current leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), Imran Khan in terrorism and corruption charges levelled against the former PM (Hussain, 2023; Bilal, 2023). The former Pakistan PM has been charged with terrorism offenses, criminal intimidation, rioting, and assault on government authorities following violent clashes between the police and his party members outside a courthouse in Islamabad on March 18 (Human Rights Watch, 2023). 

According to the First Information Report registered at Islamabad’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and Police Station Golra, cases had been filed against Imran Khan and several other PTI leaders following clashes outside the Federal Judicial Complex. Former PM Khan was in attendance for the hearing of the Toshakhana case last week. (Bilal, 2023; Hussain, 2023). A LHC bench headed by two judges comprising Justice Shehbaz Rizvi and Justice Farooq Haider granted the Former PM interim protective bail in the terrorism cases till March 27th (Bilal, 2023). 

Additionally, Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh (single bench), while issuing notices to the concerned quarters, has sought replies from Chief Secretary of  Punjab and Inspector General Police (IGP) of Punjab by March 28th in a contempt petition filed by the Former PM Khan against the Zaman Park operation which he claims the police violated the terms agreed by the local police, Punjab administration and PTI leadership. (Yasif, 2023). Justice Sheikh hearing another plea filed by PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry seeking details of the cases registered against Imran Khan and PTI leaderships further sought complete details of the cases from the federal law office along with affidavit by March 22. Justice Sheikh also restrained the concerned quarters from taking any coercive measures till the submission of the report (Yasif, 2023). 

Violent clashes between the Punjab police and Imran Khan’s supporters have continued since the past two weeks in Lahore and Islamabad, with the police using teargas and rubber bullets against protesters and charging them with batons (Human Rights Watch, 2023). Former PM Khan’s supporters have used sticks and stones to attack the police and have set fire to police vehicles, with dozens of police officers and supporters of Khan’s party having been injured (Human Rights Watch, 2023). 

References 

Bilal, R. (2023). Imran secures protective bail from LHC in 2 terrorism cases. DAWN.COM. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.dawn.com/news/1743387

HRW. (2023). Pakistan: Drop overbroad terrorism charges. Human Rights Watch. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/03/21/pakistan-drop-overbroad-terrorism-charges 

Hussain, S. (2023). LHC grants Imran Khan Bail in nab, terrorism cases. Geo.tv: Latest News Breaking Pakistan, World, Live Videos. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.geo.tv/latest/477621-imran-khan-to-appear-before-lhc-to-seek-protective-bail-in-two-cases

Yasif, R. (2023). Imran gets relief from LHC in terrorism cases, NAB notices. The Express Tribune. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://tribune.com.pk/story/2407293/imran-gets-relief-from-lhc-in-terrorism-cases-nab-notices