LHC CJ asked to form larger bench on Imran Khan’s bail petition

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) Judge Justice Safdar Saleem Shahid has referred the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s bail petition to the court’s chief justice, requesting him to constitute a larger bench on the matter.

Earlier today, the LHC judge reserved the verdict on Khan's petition seeking pre-arrest bail in all the cases registered against him on May 9 — the day he was arrested in Al-Qadir Trust case — and onwards.

Announcing the reserved verdict, Justice Shahid sent the PTI chief’s case to the chief justice of the provincial top court and recommended forming a larger bench to hear Khan’s petition.

Several cases had been registered against the former prime minister, who was removed from power in April last year, in the wake of protests that broke out following his arrest in the notorious land corruption case.

At the outset of the hearing, the court inquired about the absence of the PTI chief.

Responding to the query, Khan's lawyer said that he would appear before the court by 11am.

A lawyer representing Punjab's interim government opposed the bail plea contending it was inadmissible.

"Imran Khan hasn't even appeared in the court and seeking protective bail," the lawyer maintained

At this, Khan's lawyer argued that the PTI chief was seeking pre-arrest bail and not protective bail. He requested the court to send the case to a larger bench.

The plea

The former prime minister — who had been incarcerated for three days in the land corruption case — had filed the plea on Saturday, a day after being released on bail from Islamabad High Court (IHC), against all the new cases registered against him.

"I am being politically victimised. There is a risk of arrest as police have nominated me in several cases," the plea stated.

The PTI chief has made the Punjab inspector general and advocate general respondents in the case.

Khan's dramatic arrest came last week when he was getting his biometrics done at the IHC. Heavy Rangers force took the former cricket star into custody, acting on National Accountability Bureau (NAB) orders, and whisked him away in a black Rivo.

Violence ensued after the event which proved to be a major turn in the country's restive politics as thousands of supporters and PTI workers took to streets for protests.

The countrywide demonstrations involved workers' clashes with police, vandalism and attack on state property and vital installations including General Headquarters and Lahore Corps Commander House.

The dramatic saga also escalated tensions between Khan and the incumbent government as several cases were registered against the PTI chief and other party leaders for alleged involvement in inciting the riots.