IHC reserves decision on Imran’s bail in seven cases

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) reserved its decision on the matter of extending bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in seven cases on Thursday after courtroom proceedings took a heated turn. The judges, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, hearing the bail matter left the courtroom after an altercation ensued between Islamabad advocate general and PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, reportedly because the latter kept intervening during the proceedings. 'Don't want to be a slave' Prior to the hearing while talking to the media, Imran said that he desired “friendship” with everyone but did not want to be a “slave”. He furthered that his party wanted good relations with the United States but did not want to be a slave to Washington. Responding to a journalist’s question about meetings with US officials, Imran said that “twenty-seven years had passed” and he “wanted good relations with every country”. The PTI chief added that he named an individual before departing for the high court and claimed the individual posed a threat to his life, but could not name him because "his real name would not be printed in the newspapers". “That’s why I call him dirty Harry,” he clarified, referring to a top intelligence official. Commenting on Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto’s visit to India, Imran questioned if Kashmir was not an issue for the incumbent government. He maintained that the PTI government broke ties with India after the events of August 5, 2019, when the government of India revoked the region's special status granted under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir. He stated that Bilawal’s visit meant that he accepted the events of August 9. For his appearance, Imran reached the courtroom in a wheelchair. Earlier, his vehicle was not permitted to enter the IHC premises. Imran’s counsel barrister Salman Safdar then submitted a request before the high court’s registrar to allow the vehicle into the IHC’s premises in order for Imran to use the wheelchair ramp. The request detailed that Imran could not put pressure on his right leg and doctors had prescribed ten days of bed rest. PTI leaders Asad Umar and Umar Ayub were present near the party chief’s car. The party's official Twitter handle also tweeted that Imran was "right outside the high court" with a "heavy deployment of police" but his car was not permitted to go inside. "They are asking Imran Khan to walk with an injured leg in an open area with high risk". Chairman Imran Khan is right outside the high court, heavy deployment of police & they aren't letting his car to go inside. They are asking Imran Khan to walk with an injured leg in an open area with high risk. #عمران_خان_ہماری_ریڈ_لائن pic.twitter.com/0SlWN5cHl8 — PTI (@PTIofficial) May 4, 2023 Yesterday, the IHC gave one last chance to the former premier to appear in court in person if he wants to get pre-arrest bail, noting that it could not bend rules for Imran just because he was a “privileged” person. Read PTI workers, leader get bails “The applications for pre-arrest bails will be considered dismissed if Imran Khan does not appear in court tomorrow,” said IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq while hearing applications seeking the PTI chief’s pre-arrest bails. “Tells us the law which gives an accused seeking pre-arrest bail an exemption from personal appearance in court? And what about the accused not cooperating in the investigation?” Justice Farooq, who was leading a division bench also comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, noted. Safdar earlier told the bench that the former premier has sought an exemption from appearing in the court on medical grounds. He said Imran, who received bullet wounds during an assassination attempt in November last year, suffered from leg swelling when he appeared in the Lahore High Court (LHC) the other day. “Yesterday he had to be taken to a hospital. Imran is 71 and at this age, wounds take time to heal,” Safdar said.  

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