ATC grants Imran Khan pre-arrest bail in terror case

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 06 Jan 2023

PTI Chairman Imran Khan will appear before an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad to seek pre-arrest bail today (Thursday) in a terror case filed against him for threatening Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry during a public rally.

Khan has arrived at the ATC where judge Raja Jawwad Abbas will hear his plea.

The PTI chair had staged a rally in the federal capital on August 20 to express solidarity with his chief of staff Shahbaz Gill after claims of torture in custody. He said that the additional sessions judge — who sent Gill into physical remand on the police's request — should brace herself for consequences.

An FIR was registered against him under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act at the Margalla police station for threatening the judge and other senior officers of the Islamabad Police during the rally.

A day after the registration of a case against him, Imran Khan secured transit bail till August 25 from the Islamabad High Court which directed him to approach the relevant forum for pre-arrest bail.

For today's hearing, strict security arrangements have been made around the Federal Judicial Complex, which is home to Islamabad's ATC. Security arrangements include the deployment of additional police personnel comprising 400 cops and FC personnel to assist the police.

All the ways leading to the judicial complex have been blocked using barbed wires and irrelevant persons have been restricted to enter the vicinity. Moreover, an armoured vehicle is also present outside the court.

PTI asks supporters to head to Islamabad if Imran Khan arrested

Ahead of Imran Khan's appearance before an ATC, the PTI asked its supporters to take to the streets and head to Islamabad if their leader gets arrested.

"If Imran Khan is arrested, come out on the streets and then head to Islamabad the next day. Clear directions from the party given," a tweet on PTI's official account stated.

What did Imran Khan say?

Last Sunday, PTI chief Khan warned that he would “not spare” Islamabad's inspector-general, deputy inspector general, and female magistrate, vowing to file cases against them for torturing Gill.

“We will not spare the IG and DIG,” he said while addressing a public gathering at the F-9 park. The former prime minister called out Additional District and Sessions Judge Chaudhry, who had approved Gill’s two-day physical remand at the request of the capital police, and said she, too, should prepare herself as the case will also be registered against her.

The PTI chief passed the remarks while leading a rally in Islamabad from Zero Point to F-9 Park in support of incarcerated leader Gill, who the party claims was subjected to alleged “gruesome torture” in police custody.