ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) and local courts in the federal capital will hear Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s bail pleas in at least 11 cases today (Thursday).

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in the Islamabad judicial complex will hear the bail pleas in eight cases, while another local court present inside the same complex will hear the plea in a separate case. 

Meanwhile, IHC will hear the former prime minister’s bail pleas in two other cases. 

The former prime minister will visit the federal capital to attend the hearings in the said courts, while a plea seeking his exemption from hearing in the case about threatening a female judge was filed in kacheri court.

It may be noted that the Islamabad police had served a court summons to the cricketer-turned-politician for today (June 8).

The ex-PM is facing a barrage of legal woes since his ouster in a no-confidence vote in April last year by a united opposition led by his successor, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The cases against him include the infamous £190 million settlement case related to the transfer of multi-million pounds from the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), in which his wife Bushra Bibi is also an accused.

After the hearings, the PTI chief will appear before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) at its Rawalpindi office for the investigations of the corruption case.

NAB’s combined investigation team (CIT) had summoned the former prime minister to answer the questionnaire, given to him on his last appearance on May 23.

Female judge threatening case

PTI chief’s lawyer Salman Safdar filed the exemption plea in a district and sessions court, maintaining that six new cases had been registered against his client.

“PTI chairman will appear before the courts in 17 different cases,” the lawyer informed the court, reiterating that the former premier had also survived an assassination attack.

During the hearing, Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi maintained that the PTI chief skips the hearings due to unimportant reasons and was taking unfair advantage of pre-arrest bail.

He requested the court to summon a guarantor on former PM’s behalf and cancel his bail plea.

At this, the judicial magistrate reserved the verdict on the plea for exemption plea. 

It should be noted that the charges, in this case, are related to a speech by the ex-PM in which he allegedly threatened police and a female judge last year after one of his close aides, Shahbaz Gill, was denied bail in a sedition case.

ATC hearing

Former premier’s lawyer Salman Safdar appeared before the ATC and informed the judge that the PTI chief’s bail pleas in 17 cases had to be filed.

He maintained that the ex-PM was willing to join the investigations.

During the hearing, Prosecutor Adnan Ali maintained that the former premier’s behaviour showed he didn’t want to join the investigations.

The judge directed the PTI chief to join investigations at police lines.

At this, the defence lawyers requested the court to allow the former premier to join the investigations at the judicial complex as it was not possible at police lines.

Later, the court adjourned the hearing till the appearance of the PTI chief.

PTI chief files pleas for bail in six new cases

Meanwhile, fresh pleas were filed in the IHC for the PTI chief’s bail in five new cases related to the May 9 protests and another case of fake Toshakhana receipt.

The counsel has requested an immediate hearing on the pleas today.

Section 144 violation

Meanwhile, the PTI chief’s legal team approached the relevant court for his bail in the case related to the violation of Section 144.

The case was registered at Margala Police Station last month.

Sessions judge Nasir Javed Rana allocated the hearing on the bail plea to additional sessions judge Sikandar Khan, who will conduct the hearing at the judicial complex due to security concerns.

More to follow…