ISLAMABAD: Security has been heightened around the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ahead of former prime minister Imran Khan’s court appearance as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman left Lahore for the federal capital to secure interim bail in nine cases.
A heavy contingent of Islamabad police had been deployed around the IHC while barbed wires and containers had also been placed to ensure the law-and-order.
The police have banned the entry of unrelated persons into the IHC.
Imran will appear before the two-member IHC bench headed by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, who earlier warned the ex-prime minister of bail revocation over his continuous absence from court.
To ensure Imran Khan’s safety, the Islamabad district administration has made high-security arrangements, while lawyers and journalists would be allowed to enter courtroom no 1 through a special pass.
Only 15 lawyers would be allowed to accompany Imran Khan inside the court, and ten 10 from the attorney general and advocate general’s offices would be allowed to attend the hearing.
Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, while hearing Imran’s bail pleas in two cases on Wednesday related to threatening officers of the armed forces of Pakistan and the attempted murder of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha, observed that the law was equal and transparent for all.
“There was no precedent of exemption from appearance during hearings in the bail petition,” the judge had observed.
As per his lawyer, Barrister Salman Safdar, Imran Khans kipped yesterday’s hearing due to swelling and pain in his leg. After seeing no leniency by a bench, the lawyer assured the court that his client would appear for today’s (Thursday) hearing even if he did so in an ambulance.
