Imran Khan's legal team files pre-arrest bail plea in terror case

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 22 : Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) legal team on Monday filed a pre-arrest bail plea in a terror case against its chief and former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad High Court.
PTI lawyer Faisal Chaudhry and Babar Awan filed the plea on the former PM's behalf, who maintained in the plea that he is ready to appear before the court whenever summoned.
The plea states that Imran Khan has no criminal record from the past and has never been convicted for any offence, reported Geo News.
A first information report (FIR) was registered against Khan under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for threatening an additional sessions judge and senior police officers of the Islamabad Police at a rally in the federal capital's F-9 Park.
Pakistan's interior ministry has asked written permission from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's office to arrest Khan following the registration of the case, reported Geo News.
According to sources, the PTI chairman has left his Bani Gala residence to avoid arrest. It is being reported that he may have left for Lahore or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
However, PTI leader Faisal Vawda said that Khan is still at Bani Gala, reported Geo News.
According to The News, the interior ministry has sought written permission from the PM Office for the arrest of the PTI chair. Sources said the arrest will be made with the consensus of all parties in the ruling alliance.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party leader and former president Asif Ali Zardari have opposed the arrest of Imran Khan. He believes that the arrest will cause political damage to the ruling alliance, reported Geo News.
On the other hand, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) President Maulana Fazlur Rehman did not give a clear viewpoint on Imran Khan's arrest as PTI leader Murad Saeed claimed on Sunday night that the arrest warrants for Imran Khan had been issued.
Additional police force has been deployed outside Imran Khan's Bani Gala residence and the road leading to his residence has also been closed for unauthorised people, allowing only people close to him and the residents of the area to enter, sources told Geo News hours after the registration of the case, reported Geo News.
However, it is not yet decided whether Imran Khan would be arrested or put under house arrest, sources engaged in sketching the strategy of the operation told The News.
"Negotiations with Imran Khan are underway, as the PTI leader wants to avoid arrest or house arrest," added the sources, saying that the authorities have multiple plans to handle the situation with the help of law-enforcement agencies, but were waiting for a green signal from the quarters concerned.
"Imran Khan is seeking the facility to approach the higher judiciary for obtaining relief, but he will have to surrender before the police as the first step," the sources added.
The FIR registered against Khan states that he threatened Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry and police officers at a rally in F-9 Park to "terrorise" police officials and judiciary. The main aim of the intimidation was to prevent the police officers and judiciary from carrying out their legal obligations, says the FIR.
The FIR was registered on the complaint of Magistrate Ali Javed in Islamabad's Margalla Police Station under Section 7 of ATA.
The FIR states that the PTI chairman threatened Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry and police officers at a rally in F-9 Park to "terrorise" police officials and judiciary. The main aim of the intimidation was to prevent the police officers and judiciary from carrying out their legal obligations, says the FIR.