ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Monday rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s plea to suspend his non-bailable arrest warrant in the Toshakhana case.
Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal delivered the verdict after a brief hearing of the case which he had reserved earlier in the day.
During today’s hearing, Imran Khan’s lawyer Ali Bukhari, Qaiser Imam and Gohar Ali Khan appeared in the court.
Bukhari said that his client has always followed the court orders. While Imam argued that if Imran Khan is willing to appear, the police cannot arrest him.
On this, the judge remarked that the PTI chief could have approached the Islamabad High Court for the suspension of the warrant.
However, Imam told the judge that he wanted the sessions court to suspend the warrant. While Bukhari added that the PTI chief was at his residence in Zaman Park in Lahore.
Bukhari said that Imran Khan wants to know how to appear in court.
Imam further said that a private complaint was lodged against the PTI chief under the Election Act 2017. He argued that usually arrest warrants are not issued on private complaints and requested the court to suspend the warrant.
The learned judge remarked that the PTI chief’s lawyer had told him that his client would not appear in court.
After which the learned judge reserved the decision on the petition.
On February 28, Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for the former prime minister for not appearing in court continuously in the Toshakhana case.
According to court orders, Islamabad Police team led by Superintendent of Police visited Zaman Park to execute arrest warrant on Sunday. But failed to do so.
The PTI chief has also approached the Lahore High Court today for post-arrest bail in the case.
