Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has finally been granted bail after his controversial arrest in the most-discussed Al-Qadir Trust case.
A two-judge bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) held his bail hearing on Friday (May 12). Meanwhile, the court granted bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan for two weeks.
This morning, the hearing started after an hour’s delay in courtroom no. 2 of the Islamabad High Court. However, as soon as slogans started in favor of Imran Khan in the courtroom, the judges left after giving the prayer break.
The hearing resumed in the bench of Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz at 2:30 pm local time (3:30 pm Bangladesh time).
A day ago, the Supreme Court of Pakistan declared former prime minister Imran Khan’s arrest from the court premises “unlawful”.
According to the instructions of the Supreme Court, the hearing of Imran Khan’s bail petition in the Al-Qadir Trust case was made on Friday in the bench of Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz.
In response to a query from reporters in the courtroom today, Friday (May 12), the PTI chief said that after the arrest, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials allowed him to talk to his wife through a landline phone.
Then the journalist counter-questioned, “Why did Imran Khan call internet personality and PTI leader Musarrat Cheema when he got the chance?”
In response, the former prime minister replied that “he could not reach his wife Bushra Bibi on the phone”.
In response to another query about whether he thought he would be arrested, Imran Khan said, “I was absolutely sure that I would be arrested.”
At this stage, slogans started in the courtroom in favor of the PTI chief. Court staff tried to stop the chanting but failed. Then Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb said, “This is not acceptable.”
The hearing was later adjourned for the break of Friday prayers. The hearing resumed at 2:30 pm local time (3:30 pm Bangladesh time).
Earlier, PTI chief Imran Khan reached the Islamabad High Court in a large convoy amid tight security. A large number of police and rangers were already deployed there.
Imran Khan’s lawyer Faisal Hossain Chaudhry told reporters, “We are hopeful that the High Court will grant bail.”
Source: Dawn
