Will Pakistan Court Continue to Support Imran Khan's Bail?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Islamabad, Feb 18 (NationPress) A district and sessions court in Pakistan has instructed the prosecution to ensure that former Prime Minister Imran Khan appears at the upcoming hearing, either in person or via video link, while extending his pre-arrest bail in five cases, including one concerning the alleged attempted murder of former minister Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha, as reported by local media on Wednesday.
The District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka has prohibited the police from arresting the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in these cases and has also extended the pre-arrest bail of Bushra Bibi in a related matter.
The hearing has been postponed until Wednesday, according to a report from the prominent Pakistani daily, Dawn.
During the court session, both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were represented by their legal teams. However, despite prior court instructions, the former Prime Minister was not presented before the court via video link.
This resulted in the absence of his lawyer, Barrister Salman Safdar, preventing arguments on the acquittal plea from being made.
In light of this situation, the court mandated that the PTI founder must ensure his presence at the next hearing, whether physically or through a video link.
The allegations against Imran Khan stem from events that occurred on May 9 and include charges such as attempted murder, submission of fraudulent receipts, and other alleged offenses.
Moreover, a separate case has been filed against Bushra Bibi for allegedly submitting forged receipts.
In a related turn of events, Additional District and Sessions Judge Amir Zia has granted an extension of Bushra Bibi's interim bail concerning a case linked to the protest on November 26.
Meanwhile, Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra has delayed the indictment proceedings in the Sangjani Jalsa case due to the absence of the accused PTI lawmakers.