RAWALPINDI: An Anti-Terrorism Court has cancelled the interim bail of Naeem Haider Panjotha Advocate for not showing up for hearing of cases registered against him and ordere his arrest. Panjotha, the counsel for PTI founder Imran Khan, had obtained interim bail in two cases registered against him at Attock police station on November 26.
Despite being summoned, Panjotha and his counsel failed to appear before the court on the scheduled date. Due to non-appearance, the court cancelled his interim bail and directed authorities to arrest him.
Naeem Haider Panjotha, a prominent member of PTI founder Imran Khan’s legal team, has been representing the party chief in several high-profile cases. These include defending Khan in multiple May 9 violence cases stemming from protests after his arrest, as well as the Long March vandalism cases filed over alleged damage to public property during PTI demonstrations in Islamabad.
Panjotha has also appeared for Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust/graft case and other corruption-related proceedings; in petitions challenging his detention conditions and jail facilities; and in cases registered under sedition and related charges for allegedly making statements against state institutions.
In several instances, his advocacy has resulted in the suspension of warrants, bail approvals, or acquittals for the former prime minister.
Other than defending Imran Khan, Panjotha is also active in promoting PTI’s narrative in the media and at lawyers’ forums. He has been in the spotlight recently after being nominated in an FIR lodged by a journalist who was allegedly assaulted by PTI workers during Aleema Khan’s media talk outside Adiala Jail.
In addition, he has been booked in a separate case on the complaint of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association president, accusing Panjotha and other lawyers of resorting to violence when they were stopped from raising slogans against state institutions outside the IHC.
