ECP protest case: Imran Khan's legal woes deepen as ATC rejects bail plea

Islamabad: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) Wednesday rejected the bail application of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan in a case pertaining to protests outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

As per the details, Judge Jawad Abbas heard the case. Imran Khan’s bail was rejected, after his failure to appear in court for the ECP protest case, which was one of the reasons cited for the denial of his bail request. 

The former premier was on interim bail and the court had given respite to Imran Khan to appear till half past one. 

Imran Khan, however, failed to appear before the court and the hearing began without the former Prime Minister. 

Notably, the banking court has also ordered Khan to appear today in the prohibited funding case.

In the prohibited funding case, the banking court rejected Imran's plea for exemption from attendance on medical grounds.

Banking Court Judge Rakhshanda Shaheen heard the case and rejected Imran’s petition to appear via video link and ordered him to appear by 3:30pm today.

Khan's lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar argued that Imran Khan is a man of more than 70 years of age and is super fit due to exercise.

He added that even if a young person gets shot, it takes him three months to recover.

The lawyer stated that there is also an exemption for him from biometrics due to old age.

PTI leader had been on interim bail till today in the prohibited funding case. The court had remarked on the previous hearing that if he did not appear even today, the bail will be canceled.