ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday extended the pre-arrest bail granted to former prime minister Imran Khan until Sept 12 while rejecting a separate application filed by him seeking exemption from personal appearance.
The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief was booked for terrorism under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act for making controversial remarks against Additional Sessional Judge Zeba Chaudhry and officials of the Islamabad Police during a rally in Islamabad on Aug 20. Another case was also registered against the former PM for violating Section 144. However, new sections were later added to the FIR, against which the PTI chief had approached the court.
At the outset of proceedings on Thursday, the PTI chief’s lawyer Babar Awan submitted an application seeking relief in the sections inserted in the FIR against Mr Khan at a later stage.
These sections were: Section 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 186 (imprisonment for three months), and 188 (disobedience to an order lawfully promulgated by a public servant).
Special Public Prosecutor Raja Naveed Hussain confirmed the insertion of these sections and admitted that these sections were not inserted in the FIR initially.
The court requisitioned a complete record of the case and observed except for the sections under the ATA, all sections inserted in the FIR were bailable.
ATC Judge Raja Jawad Abbas Hassan also brushed aside the need for furnishing fresh surety bonds. Mr Khan had earlier submitted surety bonds of Rs100,000 in compliance with th e Aug 25 order of the ATC wherein he was granted bail in Section 144 and terrorism cases.
Meanwhile, the court rejected another application moved by the counsel seeking exemption of Imran Khan from personal appearance at the next hearing.
After the proceedings, the PTI chairman told a group of reporters outside the Judicial Complex that with every passing day he was becoming ‘more dangerous’. He, however, refused to elaborate on his remarks.
When asked about the alleged acceptance of a diamond necklace from property tycoon Malik Riaz by his spouse, Imran Khan retorted that the reporter should ask him about “something more expensive since diamonds were not an expensive item”.
Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2022
