ISLAMABAD – A sessions court in the country’s federal capital on Monday approved former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s pre-arrest bail on terrorism charges relating to riots in the capital after the ECP ruling in the Toshakhana reference.
Reports in local media said the district and sessions court approved an interim bail of the defiant politician Imran Khan in the case pertaining to violent protests by PTI activists.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief appeared before the court for the hearing of the case. Party leaders and activists also joined the former premier during his court visit.
Additional session judge Zafar Iqbal approved the PTI chief’s interim bail till October 31 and directed the accused to submit surety bonds worth Rs100,000.
Earlier, Islamabad cops lodged at least seven cases against suspects, including top leaders of the former ruling party, on various charges that also include terrorism at the Secretariat, Industrial Area, Shahzad Town, Sihala, Sangjani, Khanna and Bhara Kahu police stations.
PTI chief and his aides were booked as former ruling party staged protests in twin cities over Imran Khan’s disqualification by the Election Commission of Pakistan in the Toshakhana reference.
PTI protests in capital
Faizabad, the border between Punjab and the federal territory, turned out to be a battleground when clashes erupted between the police and PTI workers.
The first information report (FIR) was registered with Islamabad’s I-9 police station. The FIR was registered under Sections 109 (abetment), 148 (rioting with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186 (obstructing public servant), 324 (attempted murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 427 (mischief causing damage amounting to Rs50) and 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage) of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
A PTI MNA was also arrested along with his two police guards by the capital police over an alleged firing incident outside the ECP office.
Ex-Pakistani PM Imran Khan disqualified in Toshakhana reference
Pakistan’s top electoral authority, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), disqualified former prime minister Imran Khan for five years in the Toshakhana reference on Friday.
