The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday halted authorities from taking any action against PTI Chairman Imran Khan in cases in which he has not been nominated.

The verdict was announced by LHC Justice Amjad Rafiq today on a petition by the PTI chief to consolidate the cases against him in Punjab for hearing and to stay their proceedings.

According to the court order, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, the assistant advocate general said that the additional advocate general who was assigned the case was not available due to being indisposed and sought time.

The order added that the assistant advocate general said that regarding the challans of cases, reports were being prepared by the respective agencies.

Thus, Justice Rafiq ordered that “no coercive measures shall be taken against the petitioner in FIRs (first information report) wherein he is not nominated, till the next date of hearing” and adjourned the case to July 21.

Imran’s appearance before JIT

Separately, the PTI chief also appeared before a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the vandalism of Jinnah House — the Lahore corps commander’s residence — on May 9 on Friday, his lawyer confirmed.

Imran’s counsel Ali Ijaz Buttar — who, along with another of Imran’s counsels Advocate Naeem Haider Panjutha was present during Imran’s appearance before the JIT — told Dawn.com that the PTI chairman had joined the investigation in six cases related to May 9 and recorded his statements regarding them.

Buttar claimed Imran answered all questions asked of him. “We complied with Lahore ATC’s order and due process of law has been completed,” he added.

His questioning is linked to a case filed at the city’s Sarwar Road police station, in the wake of the vandalism.

In the case, he has been accused of aiding the attackers who vandalised and set fire to the Jinnah House while he was under arrest.

On May 9 after the PTI chief was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau in the Al-Qadir Trust case, protesters took to the streets across the country and notably ransacked the corps commander’s residence in Lahore and tore down a gate of the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

Subsequently, cases were registered against Imran and his party workers.

A summons notice issued to Imran earlier by Lahore DIG (investigation) Kamran Adil, who is heading the JIT, read: “Imran Khan is required to attend the office of the DIG Investigation to join the investigation proceedings entrusted to the JTI formed by the Punjab government.”

Toshakhana hearing

Earlier, a district and sessions court in Islamabad adjourned the Toshakhana case hearing against the PTI chief at the request of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

When the hearing began, the ECP’s legal team member Saad Hasan told the court that the commission’s senior lawyer Amjad Parvez was busy with some personal engagements, and he would be unable to provide arguments in the hearing today.

Hasan requested the court to adjourn the hearing to July 17 (Monday). Imran’s counsel Barrister Gohar requested the court to fix the hearing for 11am on Monday.

The court accepted the ECP’s request and deferred the hearing until next week.

The Toshakhana case, filed by ruling party lawmakers, is based on a criminal complaint filed by the ECP.

The case alleges that Imran had “deliberately concealed” details of the gifts he retained from the Toshaskhana — a repository where presents handed to government officials from foreign officials are kept — during his time as the prime minister and proceeds from their reported sales.

Imran has faced a number of legal issues over his retention of gifts. The issue also led to his disqualification by the ECP.

On Oct 21, 2022, the ECP concluded that the former premier had indeed made “false statements and incorrect declarations” regarding the gifts.

Elahi gets relief

Separately, the Lahore High Court barred police and the Anti-Corruption Establishment from arresting PTI President Parvez Elahi in any undisclosed cases.

Justice Amjad Rafiq issued the order on pleas filed by Elahi and his son, Rasikh Elahi, wherein they had requested the court to bar authorities from arresting the PTI president in undisclosed cases.