The Lahore High Court (LHC) granted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan protective bail until March 3 in a case involving Islamabad protests.
The high court dismissed the PTI leader’s second petition involving protests outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The ousted prime minister, who was removed from power via a vote of no confidence in April, was charged with terrorism in October of last year after the ECP’s Toshakhana verdict sparked nationwide protests.
On February 16, a two-member bench of the LHC denied Khan’s request for protective bail in a terrorism case filed against him for alleged vandalism during protests in Islamabad against his disqualification by the ECP for non-appearance.
According to the FIR, PTI activists injured several police, Frontier Corp (FC), and administration officials by throwing stones at them. In addition, it was stated that protesters attempted to drive their vehicles into police with the intent to kill, set fire to trees in Faizabad and the surrounding area, and attempted to damage government property. The terrorism case was filed on behalf of the state at the Sangjani police station in Islamabad.
Following Khan’s court appearance, the two-member bench granted him protective bail until March 3.
“According to the law, the petitioner is required to approach the court of first instance, but in the interest of justice, we are inclined to grant him ad-interim anticipatory bail of protective nature until 03.03.2023 so that he may approach the court of first instance,” stated the written order issued after some time.
The court clarified, however, that this order would lose its legal effect after the specified date.