Lahore: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan left for Islamabad from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore early on Thursday after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) warned him of bail cancellation in case of non-appearance.
In a special message to PTI workers and supporters before his departure today, Imran gave a call to the nationals to take to the streets to show their support to the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, on Saturday.
He said that the country is currently at a decisive phase in its history. “Today, Pakistan is going through record inflation and unemployment and a mafia is seizing it. The incumbent government is afraid of facing defeat in the elections.”
اسلام آباد روانگی سے قبل چیئرمین تحریک انصاف کا خصوصی پیغام #عمران_خان_ہماری_ریڈ_لائن pic.twitter.com/vbDw5DMs8N
— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 4, 2023
The IHC on Wednesday warned the PTI chief that his interim bail in nine different cases would be cancelled if he failed to appear in court on Thursday.
IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard Khan’s bail pleas in two different cases related to threatening officers of the armed forces and the attempted murder of Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha.
During the hearing, the IHC chief justice observed that the law was clear and equal. There was no precedent of exemption from appearance during hearings in a bail petition, Justice Farooq remarked.
“Even if the PTI chairman was granted the exemption, how would his refusal to become part of the investigation be dealt with?” he asked.
Separately, a division bench comprising Justice Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb heard Imran Khan’s bail pleas in seven cases related to vandalism at the Islamabad Judicial Complex during the PTI chairman’s appearance registered under terrorism clauses.
Khan’s attorney Salman Safdar submitted an application during the hearing asking the court to exclude the former from the current hearing and claiming that this was the first time a medical exemption application had been submitted.
Subsequently, the counsel assured the court that Khan would appear tomorrow even if he did so in an ambulance. At this, the judge warned Safdar that the PTI chief’s bail would be cancelled if he failed to appear.
