LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) approved on Tuesday protective bail for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in two terror cases registered against him in Islamabad.
Islamabad’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and the Golra Sharif police had filed cases against Khan and several other PTI leaders following clashes between PTI workers and the police outside the Federal Judicial Complex as Khan reached there to attend the hearing of the Toshakhana case last week.
A two-judge LHC bench, comprising Justice Shehbaz Rizvi and Justice Farooq Haider, granted the PTI chief protective bail till March 27.
Earlier, scenes from Khan’s arrival to the LHC were shared on PTI’s official Twitter handle.
Before that, scores of PTI workers were stationed around Zaman Park to show their support to Khan when he was leaving for LHC.
According to the police, the PTI protesters had resorted to arson and vandalism and attacked the law-enforcement officials who were performing their duty to maintain law and order in the capital.
The FIR stated that the workers destroyed a police checkpost and broke the main gate of the judicial complex.
As many as 18 people were arrested for arson, pelting stones, and vandalising the judicial complex’s building, said the FIR.
“About two police vehicles and seven motorcycles were burned, and the official vehicle of the station house officer (SHO) was damaged,” it added.
Later, Khan had filed two petitions, through his lawyer Salman Safdar, seeking protective bail in the terror cases filed against him. Justice Shehbaz Rizvi and Justice Farooq Haider took up the pleas.
During the last hearing, the court had directed Khan to ensure his appearance at 2:15pm today (Tuesday) if he wanted the court to hear his plea for protective bail in the cases.
The court had also directed Khan’s lawyer to verify his client’s signature.
Khan, 70, is facing several legal cases, including one that prompted a failed attempt to arrest him after a court issued warrants for his arrest for not appearing before it.
