Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was granted protective bail by the Lahore High Court (LHC) today in a case linked to violent protests outside the election commission, according to Geo TV. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activists staged a protest after 70-year-old Khan was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the prohibited funding case last year.
While he was approaching the high court, videos showed a crowd of reporters and PTI members accompanying the former Prime Minister as he arrived in the courtroom.
Ahead of the hearing, a large contingent of police personnel was also deployed at the main gate of the LHC. Earlier, an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad rejected Khan's request for an extension in his interim bail in the case linked to the violent protests outside the ECP.
What is the case?
In October 2022, a terrorim case was filed against Imran Khan after PTI workers held protests and demonstrations against the disqualification of Imran Khan by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The apex poll body had found him guilty of hiding proceeds from the sale of gifts he received from foreign leaders and barred him from holding public office for five years.
The protests that ensued, resulted in clashes and blocking of key highways in cities such as Islamabad, Karachi and Peshawar, according to a report by Reuters. While the anti-terrorism court granted him pre-arrest bail in October 2022, he had failed to appear in the court despite multiple summons, citing medical grounds and security issues.
(With PTI inputs)
