Imran Khan, the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was the target of a non-bailable arrest warrant issued by an Islamabad court on Friday in connection with a complaint that he threatened a female judge.
On the main plea filed by PTI asking for an extension of the stay of the arrest warrant, the court delayed its decision before announcing its decision hours later.
Judge Faizan Haider Gilani of the Additional Sessions Court was addressed by prosecutor Raja Rizwan Abbasi, who pleaded with the court to order the PTI leader to show up in court at a later time.
The court said at the beginning of the hearing that if PTI’s attorneys arrived by 10:30am, the case—including the arguments of all parties—would be heard at that time. The hearing was subsequently postponed until 10:30 am.
The session continued once Gohar Ali, the attorney for Imran Khan, arrived in court.
In order to accommodate the PTI chief’s appearance for the Toshakhana case hearing on the same date, Ali asked the court to hear his client’s case on March 30. In order to amend the date on the arrest warrant from March 29 to March 30, he declared that he would submit an application in a civil court.
It’s odd that you are asking for March 30 yet the date for the arrest warrant is March 29, the court said in response to the attorney.
The prosecutor said that defences should be made regarding the merits of the request to suspend the arrest warrant.
Imran Khan’s attorney, Ali, re-filed a request to extend the suspension of the arrest warrant until March 30.
The judge stated that on March 29, the court could provide any decision.
At this point, attorney Ali emphasised that the Toshakhana case-related warrants are suspended until March 30.
The judge then inquired as to whether Imran Khan had ever been in court in relation to the accusation that he had threatened a female judge.
The prosecutor then stated that the PTI head had not yet been provided with a copy of the case and that he had never been before the court in this matter. According to the prosecution, Gohar Ali’s power of attorney in the case involving the threatened female judge is invalid.
In response to a request by Imran Khan’s legal team, the court reserved judgement.
The court agreed to change Imran Khan’s non-bailable warrant into a bailable warrant following a brief recess.
PTI’s request for the warrant suspension was rejected by the court.
