IHC bars Imran’s arrest in cases till 31st

ISLAMABAD (INP): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday extended its order barring authorities from arresting former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan in cases — including those that are undisclosed — registered across the country until May 31.
Imran’s lawyer, Barrister Gohar, additional attorney general and advocate general appeared before court. During the course of the proceedings, the government’s lawyer requested more time from court to provide information about the cases filed against the PTI chairman. The court accepted the request and adjourned the hearing until May 31.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and former prime minister Imran Khan on Wednesday moved to Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking exemption from appearance in multiple cases. Imran Khan’s interim bail will be heard today at 3:30pm. IHC Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb will conduct the hearing. In his plea, the former PM stated that PDM parties held a protest outside the Supreme Court so there could be a law and order situation if he [PTI chief] joins the hearing today. The former prime minister has requested the court to grant him exemption from appearance in the interim bail case as he is consulting different forums for seeking bail on the court’s orders.
Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan was arrested by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Al-Qadir Trust case on Tuesday. The PTI chief was taken into custody by Rangers personnel, who were acting on the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) warrant, from the premises of Islamabad High Court where the former premier had gone to seek bail in multiple cases registered against him.
Later on, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) termed the arrest of the former premier and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman ‘legal.’ Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Aamer Farooq heard the petition challenging PTI chief’s arrest. The court also issued contempt court notices to Interior Secretary and IG Islamabad.
Imran moves LHC against ECP proceedings to remove him as PTI chief: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday fixed for hearing Imran Khan’s plea against the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) proceedings to strip him from his position as party chairperson following his disqualification in the Toshakhana reference.
The ECP initiated proceedings to strip PTI chief Imran Khan of his party’s chairmanship following his disqualification in the Toshakhana reference. A five-member bench of the Lahore High Court (IHC) headed by Justice Shahd Bilal Hassan will hear the petitions of Imran Khan on May 19.
The petition pleaded with the court to declare ECP’s proceedings seeking removal of Imran Khan as party head “null and void”. Earlier, the Lahore High Court (LHC) stopped the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from removing Imran Khan as chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) following his disqualification in the Toshakhana reference. It is pertinent to note here that in the written judgment, the ECP said: “As per the statement of Khan he had purchased the gifts from Toshakhana paying 21.564 million rupees while the Cabinet Division said that the gifts had a value of 107.943 million.