Imran Khan appears before ATC, gets bail in all cases

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan appeared on Tuesday before an anti-terrorism court (ATC) hearing four cases against him.

Imran, through his counsel, surrendered himself before the ATC, which had issued non-bailable warrants against him and declared him a proclaimed offender as he had not appeared in a single hearing. 

The ATC approved the PTI chairman's bail for Rs200,000 in each case. 

The hearing was then adjourned until November 24. 

Speaking to the media, Imran said the party was peacefully protesting [in 2014] for transparent elections but a terrorism case was lodged against them. 

The court ATC is hearing three cases regarding the attack on the then Islamabad Operations SSP Asmatullah Junejo and state buildings during the 2014 protest sit-in by PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT). 

The two 'political cousins', Imran and PAT chief Tahirul Qadri, face charges of destroying property in the Red Zone, attacking the state TV channel's building and injuring SSP Junejo.

In August 2014, violence broke out in the federal capital when PTI and PAT supporters attempted to break a police cordon and storm the PM House, using cranes to remove barricades.

The clashes between police and protesters resulted in the deaths of three people and caused injuries to over 560. Of the injured, 77 were security officials deployed in the Red Zone, including SSP Junejo.

The decision to march to the PM House was taken after talks between the government, PTI and PAT had failed to end the deadlock over the resignation of then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The two parties were protesting 'rigging' in the 2013 General Elections.