Imran Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, who is currently in jail, has taken legal action by filing nine separate petitions in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to challenge the dismissal of his pre-arrest bail pleas in various cases. Imran Khan is entangled in approximately 180 cases, some of which are filed under the country’s anti-terrorism law. He was recently sentenced to three years in prison on August 5.
The complexity of Khan’s legal situation arises from his inability to physically appear in the courts where he had originally submitted his pre-arrest bail applications. This situation led to the dismissal of his bail requests due to his absence. The nine petitions, presented through his legal representative Salman Safdar advocate, name the state and complainants as respondents.
In these petitions, Imran Khan implores the Islamabad High Court to consider the trial court orders invalid and contradictory to the principles enshrined in Article 4 and 10-A of the Constitution. He requests the IHC to guide the trial courts to reassess the cases on their merits and rectify the previous denial of bail due to his non-appearance.
Khan’s petitions also urge the IHC to instruct the respondents not to execute his arrest warrants in cases where his pre-arrest bail applications remain pending in the trial court. He argues that the dismissal of these applications without proper deliberation on their merits has denied him his rightful access to a fair trial.
Separately, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the PTI’s vice chairman and former foreign minister, has taken legal action against a special court’s decision to remand him in custody over a case filed under the Official Secrets Act. Qureshi’s petition claims that the prosecution failed to present any evidence against him and seeks to have the remand orders declared null and void.
These legal developments underscore the complex legal and political landscape in Pakistan, with key figures from the PTI party facing a range of legal challenges and taking steps to protect their rights and interests within the legal system.
