Islamabad. A Pakistan High Court on Thursday granted bail to former Prime Minister Imran Khan with protection from arrest in a senior lawyer’s murder case registered against him and reserved the decision on his bail pleas in eight other cases.
Khan is facing charges in connection with the murder of Supreme Court lawyer Abdul Razzaq Shar. The lawyer was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Quetta on June 6. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Khan had filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court where a division bench of Chief Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb heard the matter.
Shar’s son alleges that his father was killed at the behest of Imran Khan as the lawyer had filed a case against Khan in the Balochistan High Court. After preliminary arguments, the bench granted bail to Khan with two weeks’ protection. In a video posted on the official Twitter account of Khan’s party, his black SUV can be seen entering the court premises surrounded by his personal security personnel.
Earlier, Imran Khan arrived in Islamabad from Lahore and appeared for hearing on his bail pleas in more than a dozen cases related to the violent protests following his arrest on May 9 and in the Toshakhana corruption case. Khan had also filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court for bail in the Shar murder case.
Chief Justice Farooq separately heard eight petitions, of which six are related to the May 9 violence. Of the remaining two pleas, one pertains to attempt to murder. The second petition pertains to allegations against top officials of government institutions.
Justice Farooq later reserved judgment on Khan’s bail pleas in eight cases. After appearing in the Islamabad High Court, the former Prime Minister reached the Federal Judicial Complex for hearing in various matters. He is likely to appear before the district court with his plea for pre-arrest bail in connection with the FIR lodged on June 6 in connection with the alleged cheating in the sale of gifts by Toshakhana. He is also likely to appear in an anti-terrorism court in 10 cases related to violating section 144 and threatening a woman judge.
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