• The bail was approved by Judge Rakhshanda Shaheen
• Lawyers and party workers raised slogans in Khan’s favour
• Safdar said it took more time to injury to recover at the age of 71 years.

ISLAMABAD: The banking court of Islamabad on Tuesday granted bail to Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the PTI foreign funding case under the Foreign Exchange Act, Bol News reported.

As soon as the bail was granted, lawyers and party workers present on this occasion erupted in joy and raised slogans in Imran Khan’s favour. Rangers and Frontier Corps personnel came into the court room to escort the PTI chief safely out.

The bail was approved by Judge Rakhshanda Shaheen. Earlier, the court staff had said the verdict in the bail plea would be announced in presence of the PTI chief.

Arguing in defence of his client, lawyer of Khan, Salman Safdar said it took more time to injury to recover at the age of 71 years. He still cooperated with the Federal Investigation Agency at every level, he said submitted record of contacts with the FIA.

He said the FIA was offered to take statement on Skype, or take written statement, but the institute did not show seriousness in investigation of the case.

Arguing in defence of his client, lawyer of Khan, Salman Safdar said it took more time to injury to recover at the age of 71 years. He still cooperated with the Federal Investigation Agency at every level, he said submitted record of contacts with the FIA.

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He said the FIA was offered to take statement on Skype, or take written statement, but the institute did not show seriousness in investigation of the case. He asked the court to direct the FIA to include Imran Khan in the probe.

Salman Safdar said the FIA was being used for political cases, as the institute worked under the Ministry of Interior. He said the interior minister was a strong opponent of his client. It took years to complete FIA investigation, he said.

The counsel said it was the first time that the FIA had launched an investigation in the case pertaining to party funding. Before this, the FIA never investigated foreign funding, he said asking when did it happen that party funding had become a punishable crime.

“The FIA case is at the investigation level and at this level arrest of Imran Khan makes no sense. Hence, FIA’s FIR against Imran is mala fide,” he said adding that the FIA lodged FIA on report of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). He said the chief election commissioner’s opposition to the former prime minister was evident. A reference was filed against the CEC in the Supreme Judicial Council, he maintained.

Special Prosecutor FIA Rizwan Abbasi said Imran Khan did not participate in the investigation till date. He said the suspect wanted the investigation to be held as per his desire by the investigation officer of his choice, he said.

Rizwan Abbasi alleged that the PTI chairman never cooperated in the probe, therefore his bail should not be extended. He said Imran Khan was directly responsible for the foreign funding, as he had accepted that he had direct contact with Arif Naqvi, who was under arrest in the United Kingdom.

Upon completion of arguments of both the parties, the court reserved its verdict and later granted bail before arrest to the PTI leader.