LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday released senior anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan on bail in a case pertaining to alleged slanderous remarks against armed forces officers.
The anchorperson was brought to the court amid tight security. He was accompanied by senior lawyers and journalists. He will now be able to celebrate Eid ul Adha with his family at home.
Adjourning the hearing of the case, regarding discarding all the cases against him, till July 19, LHC Justice Ali Baqar Najfi granted Imran Riaz Khan post-arrest bail on personal guarantee and directed him to appear before the court of magistrate on the next working day.
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Meanwhile, a judicial magistrate of Cantt Courts Lahore discharged Imran Riaz from Civil Lines case.
Talking to media outside the Cantonment Kachehri, Advocate Azhar Siddique said so far 18 cases had surfaced against Imran Riaz. He said after Attock, the case of Civil Lines was also disposed of. He said Imran Riaz did not commit any serious crime.
“He is reportedly blamed of saying ‘imported government’. These words are being spoken by 160 million people,” he said.
During the hearing, the LHC summoned Advocate General Punjab Shahzad Shoukat. Shahzad Shoukat and counsel of Imran Riaz, Mian Ali Ashfaq, arrived at the court. Ali Ashfaq said the complainant did not provide any evidence, not even a CD of Imran Riaz’s video statement.
The counsel of Imran said his client had no fight with an institute. He said his fight was only with the government. He said the case against Imran Riaz did not lie in the court’s jurisdiction. “You cannot lodge an FIR in every city for an incident,” he said adding that police could not take an action on a video statement as it was right of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
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The Punjab advocate general said he had seen file of the case which required a detailed answer. He said it was Eid on the other day, so Imran Riaz could be released on bail, if they gave guarantee to produce him before the magistrate on the first working day. He said they would have no objection to his release.
The court said Imran Riaz should himself give an undertaking before the court that he would not give any objectionable statement till his next appearance before the magistrate.
