ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court in the federal capital on Tuesday suspended the arrest warrant issued against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in a case related to threatening remarks against a female judge.
The development came after Khan approached the court challenging the arrest warrant. His plea was heard by Additional Sessions Judge Faizan Haider Gilani who was marked by Duty Judge Sikander Khan as Sessions Judge Tahir Mehmood was on leave.
The former prime minister’s legal team – comprising lawyers Naeem Haider Panjotha and Intizar Haider Panjotha – challenged the arrest warrant and appeared in court at the start of the hearing.
A day earlier, Senior Civil Judge Rana Mujahid Rahim had issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Khan for repeatedly failing to appear in court, after which a police team from the federal capital was dispatched by helicopter to arrest the PTI chairman. Arrived in Lahore.
Khan skipped the hearing and filed for immunity from physically appearing before the judge, requesting permission to attend the court proceedings virtually via video link.
The court rejected the plea of the ousted prime minister – whose government was ousted after a no-confidence motion in April last year – and ordered the police to produce Khan before it by March 29.
During the hearing, PTI chief Intizar Haider Panjotha’s lawyer had said that it was not safe for the 71-year-old politician to come to Islamabad amid security threats against him, adding that he had filed an application at the Islamabad High Court. . Court (IHC) is seeking permission to appear practically before the courts.
Another member of Khan’s legal team, Naeem Haider Panjotha, said that a request for exemption from attendance on security grounds has been filed by the former prime minister.
The lawyer had also sought to accept Imran’s plea, noting that “non-appearance and non-appearance for certain reasons are two different things”.
A team of Islamabad police arrived to arrest him as he prepared to lead a massive election rally in a show of strength, with thousands of enthusiastic workers waiting for him to denounce the party’s efforts to warm the government. Guide me.
According to sources, the police said they would need enough backup to pick up Khan and take him to Islamabad.
