Islamabad court cancels Imran Khan’s bail in six more cases

ISLAMABAD: Incarcerated former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s interim bail was cancelled in six more cases related to May 9 mayhem after he was convicted in the Toshakhana case.

The PTI chief arrest in a corruption case on May 9 this year triggered violent protests with the party supporters attacking defence and military installations in many parts of the country.

Hundreds of PTI workers and leaders were arrested for their alleged involvement in the riots while the authorities had accused the former premier of being the mastermind of the violent protests.

Muhammad Sohail, the district and sessions court judge in Islamabad, announced the verdict on Tuesday saying that it would be convenient if the former prime minister joined the investigation related to the cases.

The six cases were registered against the incarcerated PTI chief in Karachi Company, Ramna, Kohsar, Tarnool and Secretariat police stations of the federal capital.

The judge said the PTI chief's bail cannot be extended in light of the Supreme Court verdict.

The ousted premier was put behind bars at Attock Jail earlier this month after a trial court in Islamabad sentenced him to three years in prison and imposed a Rs100,000 fine after he was found guilty of concealing proceeds of Toshakhana (state depository) gifts that he received from foreign dignitaries as the prime minister of the country from 2018 to 2022.

Subsequently, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified him for five years from holding public office following his conviction.

Last week, a local court also cancelled the interim bail of the PTI chief in the illegal transfer of 190 million pounds in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

Imran’s wife Bushra Bibi’s interim bail in the case was also disposed of.

On August 12, an Anti-Terrorism Court dismissed interim bails of the PTI chief in 7 cases, including the Lahore Corps Commander’s House attack.

The special prosecutor, Farhad Ali Shah, had argued before the court that there was no scope in the law to accept the exemption application of the convicted accused.

The PTI chief has been booked in dozens of cases ranging from terrorism to corruption to money laundering since he was ousted from power in April last year via the joint opposition’s no-confidence motion.