F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq has ordered former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan to appear before the court tomorrow, otherwise, his interim bail will be rejected.
A two-judge IHC bench headed by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and comprising Justice Miangul Hassan heard the case filed by PTI Chairman Imran Khan seeking court order to halt legal proceedings on all the cases registered against him.
However, Imran Khan did not appear before the court today.
During the hearing, the PTI chief’s lawyer Salman Safdar submitted an application seeking exemption of his client from the court appearance on medical grounds.
Chief Justice Farooq remarked that Imran submitted a medical report of a private hospital while the court does not accept private hospitals’ reports in criminal cases.
The lawyer contended that cases are being registered against his client in bulk and we do not know how on earth we could appear in so many cases.
The CJ remarked that Imran is neither appearing before the courts nor does he participate in the police investigation.
Safdar said that Imran respects courts but he has security threats. He said that the Lahore High Court has also asked the PTI chief to participate in the investigation.
While accepting Imran’s exemption plea, the CJ ordered him to appear the court tomorrow, otherwise his interim bail will be cancelled.
Earlier, expressing its exasperation over the absence of Imran Khan during the hearing of his bail petition, the Islamabad High Court summoned the PTI chairman today with a warning that his interim bail will be cancelled.
IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the petition filed by the former premier seeking interim bail in the Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha attack case.
Imran Khan did not appear before the court today.
CJ Farooq asked the PTI chairman’s lawyer Naeem Haider where was the petitioner.
The lawyer said that his client could not attend the court hearing today.
The judge asked the lawyer had he submitted the application seeking Imran’s court exemption and where was the application.
On this, the lawyer told the judge that the application had been filed.
The ostensibly annoyed judge warned the lawyer that if the PTI chairman did not appear before the court before it closed in the evening, then the court would cancel Imran’s interim bail.
Earlier, Imran’s lawyer Khawaja Haris did not appear before the Islamabad High Court in cases related to seeking details of FIRs registered against the PTI Chairman Imran Khan and summoning notices against him.
Another PTI lawyer Naeem Haider appeared before the court and requested it to fix the hearing of this case with other cases.
But Chief Justice Farooq fumed wondering if the Islamabad High Court was a civil or magistrate court.
He remarked that the time of the case hearing was at 9am, why Haris could not reach the court.
The lawyer said that Kh Haris was on his way and would reach the court by 12 noon.
After hearing this, the court announced a break in the hearing.
Earlier, the medical board of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital advised former premier and PTI Chairman Imran Khan to take rest after examining his leg fractured by a gunshot during PTI’s long march last year.
According to the medical board, if Imran did not take rest then the swelling on his leg could be aggravated which might increase the risk of infection.
If that happens, then his leg will have to be operated once again, the board advised.
Doctors also advised him not to make any unnecessary movements and not to put pressure on his leg.
