ATC cancels Imran Khan’s bail after his failure to appear

An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad cancelled Imran Khan’s bail in a case regarding a protest infront of the Election Commission of Pakistan.
The bail was cancelled after Imran Khan failed to show up in person despite repeated notices from the court.
PTI had staged a protest infront of the ECP against the Toshakhana verdict that disqualified him. However, the imposition of section 144 had made the protest illegal.
Meanwhile a banking court in Islamabad dismissed Imran Khan’s request for exemption in appearance in bail proceeding and asked him to appear in-person by 3:30pm on Wednesday.
Imran Khan has asked to be exempted from appearing on medical grounds. He had applied for bail in the prohibited funding case, but could not present himself in court.
His lawyers had argued that Imran Khan would be able to stand without support and be able to travel to Islamabad from Lahore in three weeks’s time.
“The law will take its course if Imran Khan does not present himself,” the judge said.
Imran Khan had been to ensure his appearance in-person in the banking court on Wednesday. However, his lawyer told the court that three more weeks were needed for him to get healthy enough to come to court himself.
The lawyer also added that Imran Khan was also exempted from a biometric test since he is above 70 years of age.
Lawyer for the co-accused Tariq Shafi told the court that the Shafi was not part of the PTI on which the prohibited funding case had been made, he is only a private citizen.
The judge proceeded to remind him that the merits of the foreign funding case were not under discussion and the arguments should stick to the topic of the bail.
The court banned media coverage in case related to PTI’s prohibited funding, only to overturn it and allow the media in again on Wednesday.
As a large crowd gathered in the courtroom amid heavy security, Judge Rakshanda Shamim said that only the petitioner and lawyer should remain the court. She added that the court could not be run while it was crowded.