Court warns PTI leader of pre-arrest bail cancellation after he skips hearing n Chief Justice asks why Imran submitting medical reports of private hospital n Sometimes there is an excuse of security threat and sometimes there is pain in leg: Justice Miangul Hassan.
ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday expressed displeasure over non-appearance of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and warned that the court would cancel his interim bail if he failed to appear tomorrow (today).
Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the case filed by former prime minister Imran Khan for bail in nine FIRs pertaining incitement against the state institutions and creating riot and vandalizing in judicial complex Islamabad. As the hearing began, the chief justice inquired about the attendance of Imran Khan.
To this, the lawyer informed the court that he could not arrive as an application for one-time exemption from appearance had filed. Expressing annoyance, the chief justice asked that where was the application adding that the petitioner had been making fun of the courts. The court declared that it would terminate the interim bail of the petitioner if he did not appear within the court timing.
After a recession in hearing, Imran Khan’s lawyer Salman Safdar Advocate argued that his client had appeared in personal capacity before the Lahore High Court (LHC) on last day despite his attendance was not required. He said that Imran Khan had to go to the Shaukat Khanum Hospital Tuesday evening due to swelling in his leg. He had received medical certificate at 11:00pm last night and X-Ray in this morning, the lawyer said. The chief justice observed that the petitioner had neither appeared before the court nor he had joined investigation.
“If the court ignores the attendance of Imran Khan then what was the answer regarding non-joining of investigation, he asked. Barrister Salman Safdar said that the application on medical grounds had been filed first time before this bench.
He said that an injury took time to be hailed at the age of 71. The chief justice observed that the petitioner was submitting medical report of a private hospital despite medical report from a government hospital was required in such cases. Justice Farooq said that the other member of this bench wanted to dispose of the bail case after approving one-week protective bail. There was no exemption from appearance in the law in pre-arrest bail cases, he observed, adding that a question was also raised in last hearing that whether a common citizen could get such relief.
Justice Miangul Hassan noted sometimes there was an excuse of security threat and sometimes there was a pain in the leg.
The petitioner did not appear before the court in four hearing, he said, adding that another accused could come with this order to claim the relief.
The lawyer said that 140 FIRs were registered against his client within three months, adding that this was an extraordinary situation.
The chief justice remarked that the court would not hear arguments in the absence of the accused and warned that it would cancel the interim bail if the accused did not appear even tomorrow.
However, the lawyer prayed the court to grant a date for four to five days.
Advocate General Barrister Jahangir Jadoon argued that the medical report was submitted from a private hospital which was being owned by the petitioner. The accused would not be able to recover in six months in this way, he said.
The chief justice remarked that the law was very clear and subsequently the bench extended the interim bail of Imran Khan till today. Imran Khan’s lawyer assured the court that his client would appear in personal capacity tomorrow in every condition. The further hearing on the bails petitions in nine FIRs was then adjourned till today.