Ex-Prime Minister of Pakistan on Saturday reached his Lahore residence safe after he was granted bail from the custody of the country's anti-corruption watchdog in multiple cases.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had on Friday granted Khan protective bail for two weeks in a corruption case and barred the authorities from arresting the him in any case registered anywhere in Pakistan until Monday, PTI reported. A total of three benches granted relief to the PTI chief who was taken to IHC amidst tight security.
Prior to his departure for Lahore after securing bails from the IHC in a number of cases related to treason and violence and one related to the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case in which he was arrested early this week, Khan was allegedly made to stay more than three hours in the court by the Islamabad police on the security details. He left the court premises after a dramatically long standoff with authorities.
Upon reaching his Lahore residence, Khan was greeted by PTI workers who showered rose petals on his vehicle, danced to the tune of drums and conducted massive fireworks. Slogans were raise in favour of Khan and against the ruling PML-N-led coalition.
The PTI released a video of Khan entering the house where his sisters and other family members welcomed him.
watch video of his welcome by PTI party members here:
Over 120 cases on Imran Khan
Khan, who is demanding snap general elections, is facing over 120 cases across the country.
"Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IG) Akbar Nasir tried his best to retain me at the capital's high court. They did not let us leave for three hours, saying that it's dangerous outside," the PTI chief said in a video message from his vehicle in which he was travelling back to Lahore.
He said he told the IG that he would tell the entire Pakistan that he was kidnapping him and upon this he let him go.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah had earlier declared that the government might take Khan into protective custody which made the PTI chief and his associates skeptical about the IG's action.
The Islamabad police also issued a statement saying providing security was a bilateral matter where the cooperation of the subject was required.
"Imran Khan did not cooperate with us for security arrangements, thus he is responsible for his actions. If anything happens to him (Khan) the state institutions will not be responsible," it said.
The arrest of Khan on Tuesday by the Pakistan Rangers at the IHC premises in a corruption case triggered unrest in Pakistan that continued till Friday in which scores of people were killed and dozens of military and state installations were destroyed by the protesters.
For the first time in Pakistan's history that the protesters stormed into the army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and also torched a corps commander's house in Lahore.
Police put the death toll in violent clashes to 10 while Khan's party claims 40 of its workers lost their lives in the firing by security personnel.
(with PTI inputs)
