ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani high court here on Wednesday extended until May 31 its order barring the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan in any case filed against him after May 9.
The decision by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) came after the government lawyer asked for more time to provide information on the lawsuits against the leader of the Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, aged 70 years.
Khan was not present in court. The court was hearing PTI’s plea requesting details of all cases filed against Khan. Khan’s party said the PTI leader had been arrested in more than 100 cases across the country.
The court granted the government lawyer’s request and adjourned the hearing until May 31, the Dawn newspaper reported.
In a major relief for Khan, the IHC on Friday granted him a protective bond for two weeks in the Al-Qadir Trust Corruption Case and banned authorities from arresting the former Pakistani prime minister in any registered cases in the country until May 15.
The court’s verdict came a day after the Supreme Court ruled Khan’s dramatic arrest of the IHC premises on May 9 as “invalid and illegal”.
A triumphant Khan returned home to Lahore on Saturday after locking himself in the IHC premises for hours for fear of further arrest despite being released on bail on Friday.
The IHC also on Wednesday ordered the release of PTI leaders Maleeka Bokhari and Ali Muhammad Khan, declaring their arrest “unlawful”.
The leaders of the PTI were arrested under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance 1960 following violent protests across the country following Khan’s arrest.
Khan’s arrest on 9 May by paramilitary Pakistani Rangers at IHC premises sparked unrest in Pakistan. For the first time in Pakistan’s history, protesters stormed the army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and also burned down the house of a corps commander in Lahore.
Police have killed 10 people in violent clashes while Khan’s party says 40 of its staff lost their lives in gunfire from security personnel.
On Monday, senior army officers pledged to bring to justice the arsonists who attacked civilian and military facilities through a trial under the country’s relevant laws, including the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secrets Act.
Khan was ousted from power in April last year after losing a vote of no confidence in his leadership, which he said was part of a US-led plot targeting him because of its independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China and Afghanistan.
The decision by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) came after the government lawyer asked for more time to provide information on the lawsuits against the leader of the Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, aged 70 years.
Khan was not present in court. The court was hearing PTI’s plea requesting details of all cases filed against Khan. Khan’s party said the PTI leader had been arrested in more than 100 cases across the country.
The court granted the government lawyer’s request and adjourned the hearing until May 31, the Dawn newspaper reported.
In a major relief for Khan, the IHC on Friday granted him a protective bond for two weeks in the Al-Qadir Trust Corruption Case and banned authorities from arresting the former Pakistani prime minister in any registered cases in the country until May 15.
The court’s verdict came a day after the Supreme Court ruled Khan’s dramatic arrest of the IHC premises on May 9 as “invalid and illegal”.
A triumphant Khan returned home to Lahore on Saturday after locking himself in the IHC premises for hours for fear of further arrest despite being released on bail on Friday.
The IHC also on Wednesday ordered the release of PTI leaders Maleeka Bokhari and Ali Muhammad Khan, declaring their arrest “unlawful”.
The leaders of the PTI were arrested under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance 1960 following violent protests across the country following Khan’s arrest.
Khan’s arrest on 9 May by paramilitary Pakistani Rangers at IHC premises sparked unrest in Pakistan. For the first time in Pakistan’s history, protesters stormed the army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and also burned down the house of a corps commander in Lahore.
Police have killed 10 people in violent clashes while Khan’s party says 40 of its staff lost their lives in gunfire from security personnel.
On Monday, senior army officers pledged to bring to justice the arsonists who attacked civilian and military facilities through a trial under the country’s relevant laws, including the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secrets Act.
Khan was ousted from power in April last year after losing a vote of no confidence in his leadership, which he said was part of a US-led plot targeting him because of its independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China and Afghanistan.
