March 18, 2023
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Saturday said that the "bundle package of bail" given to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan conveyed a message that he was above the law and the judicial system.
In a tweet, without naming Khan, she said the "terrorist" who attacked police, the judicial system, and the state "got a bundle package of bail."
The minister said it was a message for those who were attacked and got injured in the line of duty that "the foreign agent, Toshakhana watch thief" was above the law and the justice system.
She said that "terrorist Imran" had not thrown petrol bombs at the personnel of police and rangers but at the court orders.
Yesterday, In a major relief for the PTI chief, the Lahore High Court (LHC) granted protective bail to Khan in eight terrorism cases and one civil case — a total of nine — after he appeared before the court in person.
The PTI chief had approached the LHC earlier in the day to seek protective bail in these cases. Five of them are registered in Islamabad and four others are in Lahore.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh and Justice Farooq Haider conducted the hearing on bail pleas filed against the cases that are lodged under terrorism sections.
For the five cases in Islamabad, the court granted bail to Khan till March 24 and for the three cases in Lahore, he received bail for 10 days (March 27).
Justice Sheikh also heard the bail pleas that the former prime minister filed against the civil cases registered against him, in which he approved the PTI chairman's protective bail till March 27.
The high court has also granted police access to Zaman Park, his residence in Lahore, for investigating the incidents that transpired on March 14 and March 15 — when clashes left several injured.
The court also wrapped up PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry's plea against the operation at Zaman Park and ordered the party to ensure it cooperates with the authorities.