Daily Times

The Islamabad High Court extended PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s interim bail in nine cases till today, with a warning that the bail will be cancelled if he fails to appear. The court rejected the request of Imran’s counsel Salman Safdar for an extension by another three to four days. The counsel said a petition for exemption from appearance on medical grounds had been filed. “The medical report is from a private hospital, why don’t you get an examination from a government hospital?’ the court questioned. Safdar said his client had been receiving treatment from Shaukat Khanum Hospital since day one. “We are ready to get a medical exam conducted from a government hospital also,” he told the court. The lawyer also vowed that Imran Khan will appear in court on the next hearing.

Earlier, the IHC had expressed annoyance over the non-appearance of PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the hearing on his interim bail plea in a case registered in the Ramna police station. Heading a two-member bench along with Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb, IHC Chief Justice Aamir Farooq remarked that if Imran Khan does not appear before the office hours, his interim bail will be dismissed.

The Islamabad High Court is hearing the PTI chief’s plea for interim bail in nine cases registered in the capital city. Imran Khan was likely to appear in the court along with his legal team. However, he decided against appearing. His legal team took the stance that their client could not travel on the instructions of his doctors. His legal team said a petition for exemption from appearance would be filed before the high court, as the fracture on his already injured leg has freshened due to stress. “Where is the petitioner?” questioned the chief justice. His lawyer Naeem Panjotha told the court that Imran Khan could not make it and an exemption application would be filed.

When asked where the exemption plea was, Panjotha said it had been filed. “If Imran Khan does not appear before the court time is over, his interim bail will be dismissed,” Chief Justice Farooq ruled, and adjourned the hearing until Imran Khan appeared in court. Ahead of the PTI chief’s possible appearance, strict security arrangements were made by the district administration and the police outside the court.