turmoil
The PTI chairman departs for his Lahore home in Zaman Park.
He was previously prohibited by police from leaving the IHC grounds.
Imran Khan has received general relief from the IHC in his suits.
Imran Khan, the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), eventually departed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) grounds for his Zaman Park mansion in Lahore on Friday night after hours of drama.
Khan spent hours in the IHC after deciding to remain there until he received a written decision on his bail because he was concerned that the police may detain him once he left the building.
Khan, a former prime minister who was deposed attempted to leave after receiving the written order, but a police officer informed Khan that he was not allowed to go.
Khan had instructed the police personnel manning the high court’s protection, “Open Islamabad’s routes within 15 minutes or I will announce my next plan of action.” Senior police personnel arrived to the IHC with Khan’s help, breaking the standoff between the PTI and the authorities, and allowing Khan to depart.
hearings and assistance
On Tuesday, May 9, paramilitary troops detained Khan on the grounds of the IHC, setting off violent protests around the nation. However, the Supreme Court overturned his detention and directed the relevant authorities to free him.
The PTI leader was in the IHC after he went there today as directed by the Supreme Court to request bail in several cases brought against him, where he received general relief.
The former prime minister was granted two weeks’ bail today by a two-member special divisional bench in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case. Subsequently, the court barred authorities from detaining him until May 17 in any new case brought against him until May 9 — the day he was arrested in the corruption case, which sparked deadly nationwide protests.
The court granted him bail until May 22 in the Zille Shah murder case after he applied for transitory bail in four cases brought against him in Lahore. Then, another bench prohibited authorities from detaining the former prime minister until the morning of May 15 in any case, regardless of their nature, while hearing the bail petition brought forth against three other defendants.
sporadic aerial firing
The IHC buildings were the scene of sporadic aerial fire, which prompted officials to increase security. The spokesperson for the Islamabad police said shooting.
All police officers are secure, and search teams are looking into the situation, he added.
Gunshots were also heard by the Islamabad Police at H-11 on the Srinagar Highway. In addition to this, gunfire were reported in G-10 close to the IHC.
According to the spokeswoman, police officers were shot at in the G-11 and G-13 neighbourhoods. Additionally, shots were fired in the slum next to Islamic University.
The occasional aerial firing, according to police sources, was another factor in enclosing Khan inside the IHC premises.
