Imran Khan, wife, summoned by Punjab Police; former granted protective bail in three cases

Islamabad [Pakistan], June 21 : The Punjab Police on Wednesday summoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi and four other party leaders in connection with the investigation into the Jinnah House attack case, Dawn reported.

The notices, dated June 20, have also been issued to former federal minister Hammad Azhar and Imran's nephew Hassan Khan Niazi.

The accused have been called for questioning in a case registered with the Sarwar Road police station against the attack. Imran had been nominated in the case for allegedly abetting the attackers who ransacked and set Jinnah House on fire while in prison.

The accused persons are "required to attend the office of DIG/Investigation, Lahore Abbot Road, Qila Gujjar Singh, Lahore on June 21 at 7 pm to join the investigation proceedings entrusted to the JIT by the Punjab government," Dawn quoted the notice.

A similar notice has also been issued to ex-minister Murad Saeed, but it requires him to appear before the police on June 23.

Meanwhile, the court has also barred the police from arresting Imran Khan in three cases related to the May 9 violence.

The PTI chief was granted protective bail in three cases related to the May 9 vandalism and the murder of senior Supreme Court lawyer Abdul Razzaq Shar in Quetta, Dawn reported.

Earlier on Tuesday, an anti-terrorism court in Lahore issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the former prime minister and six other party leaders in cases related to May 9 violence.

The first information in the case pertains to the torching of a container at Kalma Chowk during the May 9 riots and setting fire to a PML-N office in Model Town.

The PTI chief appeared before a Lahore ATC on Wednesday, where he was granted protective bail till July 7 in both cases against surety bonds worth 100,000 Pakistani Rupees each.

Other suspects named in the cases are former federal ministers, Hammad Azhar and Murad Saeed, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema and his wife Musarrat Jamshed Cheema, former provincial minister Mian Aslam Iqbal and Imran's nephew Hassaan Khan Niazi.

The court also barred the police from arresting Imran, the Dawn further reported.