Former Pak PM Imran Khan granted bail in mutiny case

An FIR was lodged by a magistrate named Manzoor Ahmed Khan at Ramna police station in Islamabad earlier this month, accusing the former prime minister of spreading hatred between institutions and the public, and attempting to cause irreparable harm to top officers and institutions.

Sections 138, 500, and 505 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) were invoked while registering the FIR, which included charges of abetment of the act of insubordination by a soldier, sailor or airman, punishment for defamation, and statements that may lead to public unrest.

According to the FIR, during a speech at his residence in Lahore on March 19, the former cricketer and politician made various allegations against a high-ranking officer of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and reportedly conducted a character assassination of the individual.

Imran Khan filed a bail application in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), and after hearing the case, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq granted him bail against the submission of surety bonds worth Rs 100,000.

For the hearing, the chief of Pakistan, Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) travelled from Lahore to Islamabad, and the police had implemented strict security measures for his protection.

Taking to twitter, the 70-year-old leader of PTI stated that the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police had arrested his peaceful supporters.

"Our workers were sitting in their vehicles peacefully when ICT police, in a brazen display of state oppression, pulled them out and took them away."

"This is why they want elections to be delayed because they feel they can break the PTI by then, through fear of jail and harassment. Won't work," he tweeted.

A significant number of PTI supporters were also present during the event to display their support for their leader.

During an informal conversation with journalists inside the courtroom, Imran Khan, as reported by Dawn newspaper, disclosed that he had urged Fawad Chaudhry and Shah Mehmood Qureshi to engage in talks with the government only if the ruling party agreed to dissolve the assemblies and conduct immediate elections.

He further added that if the government insisted on holding the polls in September or October, there would be no point in continuing the negotiations.

While the PTI is determined to push for provincial legislature polls, the federal government in Islamabad maintains its position on conducting simultaneous elections across the country.

As per the Constitution, the National Assembly's five-year term will end in August this year, and elections must be held within 90 days after the dissolution of the lower house, which means the elections must be conducted by mid-October.

The previous general elections were held in July 2018.