Imran Khan ordered to appear before LHC by 5:30pm

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday ordered Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to appear before it by 5:30 pm as the former premier seeks protective bail in multiple cases including Toshakhana reference, ARY News reported.

LHC Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh issued directives on pleas filed by former premier seeking protective bail in nine different cases registered against him.

چیئرمین پی ٹی آئی عمران خان زمان پارک سے لاہور ہائیکورٹ روانہ!#ARYNews pic.twitter.com/BieDXeFcyk

— ARY NEWS (@ARYNEWSOFFICIAL) March 17, 2023

Khan is facing five cases in Islamabad and four in Punjab’s capital of Lahore.

A two-member bench, comprising Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh and Justice Farooq Haider, is hearing Imran’s pleas for bail in four cases that include terrorism charges. The request for bail in five cases will be heard by a single-member bench of Justice Sheikh.

Meanwhile, former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan has left from Zaman Park to appear before the Lahore High Court (LHC) to seek protective bail.

Earlier, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry also confirmed that Khan will appear before LHC to secure protective bail. “Imran Khan will come to LHC himself and assure the judge that he is ready to go to the Islamabad court,” PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry told media persons.

Earlier today, the LHC extended its bar on the police operation for Imran’s arrest at Zaman Park. The court issued directives while hearing Chaudhry’s plea against police action at Khan’s residence.

The court previously twice stopped the police operation outside the ex-premier’s residence and instructed the Punjab police and PTI to sit together and resolve the matter with consultation.

Taking to Twitter today, Chaudhry said that both parties have “agreed to resolve the issues” and the agreed solution will be presented in court today.

کل پنجاب انتظامیہ سے مذاکرات کے بعد معاملات کے حل پر اتفاق ہوا ہے، آج لاہور ہائیکورٹ میں جسٹس طارق شیخ صاحب کی عدالت میں متفقہ حل دے دیں گے،

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 17, 2023

Zaman Park chaos

Islamabad police along with Punjab police and Rangers launched an operation on Tuesday to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan after a district and sessions court issued his non-bailable arrest warrants for failing to attend the hearing in Toshakhana reference.

The court of ADSJ Zafar Iqbal restored non-bailable arrest warrants for Imran in the Toshakhana reference. It instructed the police to arrest the PTI chief and present him in court by March 18.

The Islamabad police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse PTI workers gathered outside party chief Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence.