ISLAMABAD    -   The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Thursday directed the govern­ment not to ‘harass’ Pakistan Teh­reek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan during Eid holidays.

A single bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq conduct­ed hearing of the petition moved by Imran Khan through his counsels Faisal Fareed and Syed Muhammad Ali Bokhari and cited Secretary Inte­rior, Inspector General (IG) Islamabad police and Director General (FIA) as respondents. Khan moved the peti­tion apprehending that the federal government is planning a surrepti­tious operation to arrest him during Eid and sought court’s direction to IGP Islamabad to provide all informa­tion regarding any and all secret FIRs registered against him. Through the instant petition, the petitioner also sought direction to the respondents to provide information regarding the pending cases/FIRs against him.

During the hear­ing, the counsel for the petitioner con­tended that a num­ber of cases are pending and some of them perhaps are not in the knowledge of the peti­tioner. He further contended that in or­der to avail appropriate remedy under the law, it is only just and proper that information be provided to the peti­tioner. After hearing the arguments, the IHC bench issued the notices to the respondents and directed them to sub­mit their response till April 27.

The bench noted in the order, “Meanwhile, the petitioner shall not be harassed and the respondents shall act in accordance with law.”

In the beginning of hearing, Khan’s counsel informed the court that the party leadership is afraid that the gov­ernment will conduct another oper­ation in Zaman Park during the five holidays of Eid. Justice Aamer said that he can seek the details of the cases but how can he give a blank order? Later, he directed the government not to ha­rass Khan during the Eid holidays and issued notices to the federation, the police and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), seeking details of cases against Imran. Khan stated in the peti­tion that since after the regime change, the petitioner has been a constant tar­get of the respondents on behest of the incumbent PDM government and he has been subjected to illegal and un­lawful treatment by the respondents. He pleaded that after the dissolution of the provincial assemblies by the inter­im governments of Punjab and KP, the situation deteriorated drastically and the petitioner was being nominated in criminal cases almost on a daily basis.