The Lahore High Court has given a final opportunity to former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to appear in the court till February 20 at 5 pm in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) protest case. .
At the start of the hearing at around 7 pm, Justice Najafi ordered SSP Security to produce Imran Khan in five minutes.
Imran Khan’s lawyer took a stand that the police is not cooperating with him.
The bench – around 7:15 pm – adjourned the proceedings for half an hour for Imran Khan to reach the courtroom as a huge crowd prevented the injured Imran from coming out of his car.
Imran Khan arrived at the court amid a large crowd of party workers and supporters who followed him since he left his residence in Zaman Park.
They raised slogans in favor of the former prime minister in the court premises.
تاحد نگاہ پیدل چلتے ہوئی عوام اپنے قائد عمران خان کے ہمراہ لاہور ہائیکورٹ پہنچ گئی۔
— PTI (@PTIofficial) February 20, 2023
#لاہور_ہائیکورٹ_پہنچیں pic.twitter.com/T3hzVuWymY
The case is related to verification of signatures of Imran Khan on bail documents.
Security was beefed up by installing barricades in and around the court premises.
The former prime minister’s vehicle will only be allowed access to these barriers. From this point forward, he will continue to be in a wheelchair as he is still recovering from gunshot wounds.
عدالت میں بیرئیرز لگائے جارہے ، گاڑی کو صرف بیرئیر تک آنے کی اجازت ہوگی ، آگے عمران خان پیدل یا وہیل چئیر پر جائیں گے pic.twitter.com/FjMHXfAVA3
— Umar Daraz Gondal (@umardarazgondal) February 20, 2023
First, Imran Khan will appear before a two-member bench headed by Justice Ali Baqir Najafi. After that, Justice Tariq Saleem Shaikh will preside over the separate case.
Last week, while hearing Imran’s anticipatory bail plea in a case related to protests outside the ECP, Justice Shaikh noted a discrepancy in Imran’s signatures.
After that, he summoned Imran to appear in court on February 20, when PTI’s lawyer promised to ensure his presence.
In proceedings on February 15, one of Imran’s anticipatory bail applications was dismissed following confusion over his appearance before the LHC. However, the second application was postponed till February 20 after PTI’s assurance.
Imran’s request for permission to enter the Lahore High Court premises on February 20 was rejected.
The Lahore High Court rejected the plea for entry through the mosque gate but allowed Imran’s vehicle to enter the GPO gate up to the drop-down barrier/litigant center near the Attorney General’s office.
Imran Khan will arrive at 4:15 PM: Fawad
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry confirmed in a tweet that Imran Khan will appear in court today.
He said that the former prime minister will reach the court at 4:15 pm.
عمران خان چار سوا چار بجے عدالت پہنچ جائینگے ، یہ حاضری میڈیکل اور سیکیورٹی دونوں ذمہ داران کی رائے کے خلاف صرف عدالتی احترام کیلئے ہے ورنہ نہ یہ کوئ کیس ہے نہ بلائے جانے کا کوئ جواز۔۔
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) February 20, 2023
He said that Imran Khan will reach the court at 4:15 PM. This attendance is only for judicial deference against the opinion of both the medical and security authorities, otherwise it is neither a case nor a justification for being summoned.”
