ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court on Monday extended the interim bail of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan till July 21 in 10 cases pertaining to violence and damage to public property during the party’s long march in May, while another court confirmed the pre-arrest bail in five cases.

Mr Khan had applied for pre-arrest bail before Judge Kamran Basharat Mufti of District and Sessions (west) Court and Additional District and Sessions Judge (east) of Islamabad Abdul Ghafoor Kakar.

The PTI chairman, however, did not appear before the courts. His counsel, Babar Awan, filed applications seeking exemption from personal appearance of the ex-premier. Both courts allowed the applications and exempted him from mandatory appearance on Monday.

Taking up his plea to avoid arrest in 10 FIRs registered against him at Aabpara, I-9, Kohsar, Karachi Company, Golra, Tarnol and Secretariat police stations of the federal capital in connection with the May 25 violence, Judge Mufti extended the interim bail till Thursday.

On the other hand, Additional District and Sessions Judge Kakar confirmed the pleas seeking bail in five FIRs registered at Bara Kahu, Sihala, Koral and Lohi Bher police stations under various sections of Pakistan Penal Code.

Earlier on June 24, both courts granted interim bail to Mr Khan against Rs5,000 surety bonds in each case. The courts also summoned record from the relevant police stations before adjourning the proceedings.

Also, Judge Mufti had confirmed last month the pre-arrest bails of Asad Umar, Qasim Khan Suri, Faisal Javed, Pervez Khattak, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Shehryar Afridi, Sheraz Basharat, Raja Khurram Nawaz and Sheikh Rashid Ahmed.

The counsel for the PTI argued before the court that the protest march was their constitutional right and the cases registered against his clients were politically motivated.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2022