Imran Khan, the imprisoned former prime minister of Pakistan, has been granted bail by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in relation to 12 cases related to the attacks on military installations that occurred on May 9. The bail was approved by ATC Judge Malik Ejaz Asif after Khan paid a surety bond of Rs 0.1 million for all 12 cases, which included the attack on the Army Museum and General Headquarters of the Pakistan Army, as reported by The Express Tribune Pakistan.
The court’s decision was based on the argument that since all other accused in the cases from May 9 were already out on bond, there was no justification to continue Khan’s detention. However, it was noted that Khan would remain incarcerated due to his involvement in numerous other cases.
The court’s ruling coincided with the recent success of independent candidates supported by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, who secured nearly 100 seats in the National Assembly in the elections held a day earlier.
Former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, a prominent member of PTI, was also granted bail in 13 cases related to the same incident. Both Khan and Qureshi had been indicted in these cases on February 6 and were presented before the court.
During the proceedings, Khan informed the judge that he was unlawfully arrested on May 9 from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The cases against Khan are connected to the violence that erupted after his arrest in an alleged corruption case, with charges including the attack on the gate of the General Headquarters (GHQ) and rioting in the office of a sensitive institution, among others.
Despite denying the allegations outlined in the first information reports (FIRs) of the cases, Khan is expected to remain in custody due to his involvement in multiple other legal matters. The bail for Khan and Qureshi comes in the wake of their indictment in early February.
Source: Firstpost
