The Peshawar High Court (PHC) late Wednesday night granted former PTI minister Zartaj Gul protective bail, 24NewsHD TV channel reported.

PHC Chief Justice Mohammad Ibrahim Khan conducted the hearing on Zartaj Gul’s plea as she kept waiting till night because of ‘arrest fear’.

“What’s happening in the Peshawar High Court today?  I have had to come from Islamabad,” the PHC chief justice questioned.

The court refrained the police from arresting the former minister after she made a desperate plea.  As Zartaj said she would be arrested even after the court granted her bail, the chief justice assured her of taking up the matter with IGP.

The PHC CJ said:  If I cannot give justice to anyone, I should resign. “Had I not arrived, would this woman have spent the night in the High Court?”

The CCPO told the court that they had no intention to arrest Zartaj as she was not wanted in any case.

“If any of our lawyers are mistreated, I will hold a court even at 3 am,” the PHC top judge said.

Police augmented security around the court.