Security ramped up at IHC as Imran expected to appear at 2pm

As PTI Chairman Imran Khan is expected to appear at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) today for hearings in nine cases, strict security arrangements could be seen outside the court premises.

On April 18, the IHC had extended Imran’s bail in eight cases till May 3. On Wednesday, he failed to appear. Hearing his bail plea in nine cases, the IHC had granted him a day’s time to appear in court, warning him his bail pleas would be dismissed if he failed to do so.

Following the hearing, PTI Senator Shibli Faraz had said Imran’s leg had been injured again during an appearance at the Lahore High Court. He added that doctors had recommended the former premier rest for 10 days.

Party leader Iftikhar Durrani had also shared a picture of an x-ray of Imran’s leg and said his “injured leg has been damaged” further.

Imran received bullet injuries to his leg in an assassination attempt when he stopped to deliver a speech in Punjab’s Wazirabad during his “Haqeeqi Azadi march” last year. The 70-year-old has since been convalescing at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore.

At 2pm today, a two-member bench of the IHC — led by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq — will hear the pleas today.

Two pleas seek relief for Imran in a mutiny case and another pertaining to charges of attempted murder while seven cases pertain to violence outside the Federal Judicial Complex in Islamabad.

Video footage from today shared by a Dawn correspondent showed a heavy contingent of Islamabad Police, Frontier Constabulary and Rangers personnel deployed at various locations near the IHC and outside the court’s main gate.

Batons could be seen in the hands of some police and FC personnel while the Rangers were armed with anti-riot gear. The routes to the IHC have been cordoned off by placing barbed wire.

Only permitted persons would be allowed inside the IHC — including Imran’s 15 lawyers, 10 lawyers from the advocate general’s and attorney general’s offices and 30 members of the High Court Journalists’ Association.

Earlier today, the former premier set out for the IHC from his Zaman Park Residence in Lahore. His party’s official Twitter account shared of video of a convoy of vehicles — one of them having Imran — travelling on the Lahore-Islamabad Motorway.

‘Solidarity with CJP’

Before departing for the court, the PTI chief shared a video message, in which he said he was going to the IHC despite “swelling on my foot” as the court has summoned him and he respected the courts.

“I want to say that we respect the courts — unlike those, who, at all times, do all kinds of low acts and carry out propaganda against the judges if decisions are not in their favour,” Imran said.

Once again naming a senior military official, whom he calls “Dirty Harry”, Imran claimed he would be responsible “if something happened” to his party member Murad Saeed.

Recalling the Wazirabad assassination attempt on him last year, he added that there was also a second assassination attempt made on March 18 at the Federal Judicial Complex, where he had appeared for a case hearing.

“I want to make it clear that if something happens to me, this Dirty Harry will be behind it and not any terrorist or what they say that there is a risk from a foreign agency — I am not in danger from anyone [but] this person and whoever is with him,” Imran said.

He then called on to his party supporters to come out on the streets at 5:30pm on May 6 “for one hour to express solidarity” with Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial.

The former premier then proceeded to announce his party would be holding four rallies on Saturday — in Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Peshawar, with him leading the Lahore one — to “tell the CJP that the nation is standing with him”.

Separately, PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi took to Twitter saying, “Chairman Imran Khan is going to appear in the court to face bogus cases even today despite the ill-health and grave danger to life.

“I want to warn the authorities that any kind of misadventure on this occasion can become the reason for a tense situation,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad Police tweeted: “Security arrangements have been made for Imran Khan’s appearance according to the court order. All arrangements are as usual, which were also made at previous hearings.

“Protection of the citizens’ life and belongings is the police’s responsibility. It is requested from the public to refrain from propaganda and rumours,” it added.

In the early hours of Thursday, the police had tweeted that a ban on all public gatherings was applied in Islamabad under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in relation to Imran’s appearance at the IHC.

Attempted murder case

On Oct 23, 2022, Ranjha had lodged a criminal complaint claiming that the shot fired by a KP policeman outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Constitution Avenue on Oct 21, 2022 was “an attempt on his life” allegedly at the behest of Imran.

The disqualification of Imran in the Toshakhana case had sparked protests in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, especially at Faizabad, resulting in the arrest of three people — a PTI lawmaker and his two police guards.

The clash between the protesters and police had started outside the ECP soon after the verdict disqualifying Imran when the KP police guard of MNA Saleh Mohammad fired a gunshot.