LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday extended bail of PTI chief Imran Khan in Zille Shah murder case till June 6 as the former prime minister joined the probe and recorded his statement with the police.
The order was issued by Justice Anwarul Haq Pannun as the court took up the former prime minister’s bail petition in the case linked to concealing facts and evidence about the death of a PTI worker, Zille Shah, in a road accident.
Earlier, the LHC had granted Imran bail in the case till June 2.
During the brief hearing, the judge asked the investigating officer (IO) if Imran had been made part of the investigations into the murder to which the latter replied that the PTI chief had not yet joined the probe.
The court then ordered the IO to record Imran’s statement after the hearing. “Ask him whatever questions you want to,” Justice Pannun said.
Here, the government’s counsel said that the statement could not be recorded in the presence of the petitioner’s lawyers.
“Will you answer the questions they ask you?” the judge asked Imran. The PTI chief responded by saying: ’Yes, I am absolutely ready.” Subsequently, the court extended Imran’s bail till June 6.
Following the proceedings, the former premier joined the probe and recorded his statement with the police.
Earlier, Imran arrived at the court amid tight security. A video posted on PTI’s official Twitter account showed his vehicle surrounded by a huge contingent of security personnel outside the LHC.
PTI chief appears before ATC
Prior to the LHC hearing, Imran also appeared before a Lahore anti-terrorism case for bail in cases linked to May 9 violence.
On May 19, Judge Ijaz Ahmad Buttar had granted bail to the former prime minister in the three cases till June 2, subject to furnishing surety bonds of Rs100,000 each.
At hearing began on Friday, the judge directed Imran to come to the rostrum. “I was told the reasons why you are not joining the probe … but now you have to become part of the investigation,” he stressed.
For his part, Imran told the judge that there were threats to his life.
At that, PTI chief’s lawyer Salman Safdar said that Imran was ready to join the probe but requested that all the cases should be fixed for hearing on the same day. “I will complete the arguments in all three cases,” he assured the court.
Safdar further requested that all the cases be fixed for hearing on June 20, promising that Imran would join the probe the day court issued the order.
Subsequently, Judge Buttar allowed Imran to leave and said that the order will be issued later today.
