Lahore High Court grants Imran Khan protective bail in nine cases

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday approved protective bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in eight terrorism cases and one civil case — a total of nine — after he appeared before the court in person, the media reported. The PTI chief had approached the LHC earlier in the day to seek protective bail in nine cases. Five of those cases are registered in Islamabad and four in Lahore, Geo News reported. 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 the PTI chief till March 24 and for the three cases in Lahore, Khan received bail for 10 days (March 27), Geo News reported. Justice Sheikh also heard the bail pleas that Khan filed against the civil cases registered against him, in which he approved the PTI chief’s protective bail till March 27. The high court has also granted police access to Zaman Park for investigating the incidents that transpired on March 14 and March 15 — when clashes left several injured. The court also wrapped up Fawad’s plea against the operation at Zaman Park and ordered the party to ensure it cooperates with the authorities, Geo News reported. Hundreds of PTI supporters accompanied Khan when he visited the high court, while authorities had also allowed his bullet-proof vehicle to enter the court premises. At Khan’s Zaman Park residence — which became a battleground recently — workers shielded the party chairman’s home to thwart his possible arrest. Later, the situation was calm as the Islamabad High Court restricted police from arresting him in the Toshakhana case, Geo News reported.