Imran Khan's bail extended in 2 cases till June 8
In a major relief for former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday reportedly extended his bail until June 8 in two separate cases pertaining to inciting violence and sedition. One concerned his claims against top officers of state institutions, while the other was about the manhandling of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader Mohsin Ranjha by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers.
Why does this story matter?
On Saturday, the PTI chief returned home after two days of detention after the Islamabad court granted him protective bail for two weeks on Friday in a corruption case, among others. It is worth noting that Khan's release came after the orders of Pakistan's Supreme Court, which criticized the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for apprehending him before he could push a pre-arrest bail petition.
Lahore High Court reserves verdict in another case
News outlet Dawn reported that Khan's lawyer Gohar Khan appeared in the IHC and requested his exemption from personal appearance, which the court approved. The Lahore High Court, meanwhile, also reserved its verdict on Tuesday on Khan's appeal for bail in cases registered against him in Punjab province after his arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case, which sparked fierce protests by his supporters.
Khan appeared before court with wife yesterday
Earlier, Lahore HC Justice Safdar Saleem Shahid had fixed Tuesday's date for the hearing of the 70-year-old's aforementioned plea. On Monday, the former Pakistani PM appeared before the Lahore High Court with his wife, Bushra Bibi, who was granted a pre-arrest bail till May 23 by the court in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.
Khan charged in more than 120 cases across Pakistan
As per media reports, the PTI chief is facing 121 cases across the country. The charges against the 70-year-old include treason, corruption, blasphemy, terrorism, and incitement of violence. Earlier this month, Khan petitioned the Lahore High Court on May 6 and demanded that all proceedings against him in the Punjab province be clubbed and heard in a single court.
Khan's arrest triggered massive violence across Pakistan
Khan's arrest on May 9 by the Pakistan Rangers triggered massive unrest in the country that continued till Friday, resulting in numerous deaths and dozens of state and military installations being destroyed. For the first time in Pakistan's history, protesters stormed the army headquarters in Rawalpindi and set fire to the corps commander's residence in Lahore.
