Imran Khan’s arrest has been prohibited by IHC decisions until May 31.
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has extended its orders protecting Imran Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), from arrest in additional cases until May 31. This decision was made during the hearing of a PTI plea requesting information on all cases filed against Khan, as it is claimed that he is involved in over 100 cases.
Federal government representatives, including the additional attorney general for Pakistan, the advocate general for Pakistan, and the state counsel, requested an extension from the court to submit additional information about the cases against Khan. The court approved their request and adjourned the hearing until May 31.
Earlier, on May 12, Khan received blanket relief from different benches of the IHC. The relief prevented his arrest and postponed his trial in the Toshakhana case until mid-June. Additionally, the court granted Khan protective bail in three terrorism cases in Lahore and the Zille Shah murder case.
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On the same day, another IHC bench granted Khan bail in the Al-Qadir Trust case, for which he had been arrested. This decision was made after the Supreme Court declared his arrest “invalid and unlawful” and ordered authorities not to arrest the PTI chief until May 17 for any case registered in Islamabad after May 9.
Khan was arrested on May 9 by paramilitary forces at the IHC premises, leading to violent protests throughout the country. He immediately sought release from the court, but his arrest was deemed legal.
Since being removed from office in April, Khan has been actively campaigning for snap elections and has strongly criticized the coalition government and military, whom he holds responsible for his ousting. He has accused senior military and government officials of orchestrating a failed assassination attempt in November, during which he was shot in the leg at a rally.