Islamabad: Before Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s appearance at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to secure interim bail in nine cases, security has been tightened.
Police and barbed wires placed around the court to maintain order.
Unrelated people also barred from the IHC by police.
Khan will appear before a two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, which warned him of bail revocation on the previous hearing.
The district administration has tightened security for Khan, and lawyers and journalists will need special passes to enter courtroom no. 1.
Khan can bring 15 lawyers to court, and 10 from the attorney general and advocate general’s office can attend.
While hearing Khan’s bail pleas in two cases involving threatening military officers and the attempted murder of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha on Wednesday, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq noted that the law was clear and equal for all.
“Bail petition hearings were never exempt from appearance.”
Khan missed yesterday’s hearing due to leg pain and swelling, according to Barrister Salman Safdar. After seeing no leniency from the bench, the lawyer assured the court that the PTI chief would appear at today’s hearing in an ambulance.
Imran Khan testifies despite leg pain.
The PTI chairman made a video statement before leaving for Islamabad.
“[We] respect the courts, so will appear [before the court] despite pain and swelling in the leg,” Khan said, sitting in a wheelchair to be moved to the car.
“Those who create propaganda against the judges” if they lose, he said.
Khan said he informed the Lahore High Court (LHC) of an assassination attempt.
“Once in Wazirabad and second time in the Judicial Complex on March 18,” he said.
The PTI chief then called for a protest in support of CJP Umar Ata Bandial.
“The mafia hell-bent against the chief justice,” he said, adding that “the mafia” divided the Supreme Court (SC) and violated the Constitution.
He also accused the government of “running from the elections”
