ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan, the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was the subject of a non-bailable arrest warrant issued on Tuesday by a district and sessions court in Islamabad in the Toshakhana case against him.
Khan ignored numerous requests to appear in court, so Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal, who heard the case, made the announcement.
In the cases brought against him for terrorism and illegal finance, the former prime minister was granted bail.
Raja Jawad, an ATC judge, heard the terror case and granted bail till March 9 in exchange for the filing of surety bonds totaling Rs100,000.
Khan’s bail in the case involving unlawful funding was confirmed by the court, Rakhshanda Shaheen.
Khan was due to appear in three courts today to take part in a number of case hearings. They included the Toshakhana and an attempted murder case in the same court, an anti-terrorism case, a forbidden funding case in a banking court, and an anti-terrorism case.
After Khan arrived to the federal capital’s judicial complex, a sizable group of PTI workers broke down the gate and invaded the facility, according to a report.
The PTI personnel dismantled all barriers at Sector G-11 of the judicial complex, disrupting security arrangements. In the katchehri, security was also increased.
Toshakhana hearing
In the meantime, the Toshakhana case against the PTI chairman was heard in district and sessions court.
Both the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) counsel Saad Hasan and Khan’s attorney Ali Bukhari were present in court.
Zafar Iqbal, the judge, presided over the case hearing.
Khan’s attorney informed the court that his client had long since left Lahore. Imran Khan needs to appear before two courts at the legal complex, he said.
Khan won’t be able to show up in court today, he claimed.
Bukhari requested that the hearing be postponed for five days.
Why is Imran able to appear in 11 courts but not at the katchehri, the judge inquired.
Attempt to murder case
A Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) politician filed the attempt to kill charge against Khan. In the federal capital’s Secretariat Police Station, PML-N leader Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha filed a charge against the former prime minister last year.
A day after Ranjha was allegedly assaulted outside the ECP headquarters, PTI members and supporters demonstrated against the election commission’s decision to disqualify their party’s leader in the Toshakhana case.
The former prime minister’s bid to move the hearing of the attempted murder case to the judicial complex was denied at the last hearing on Monday by a district and sessions court.
Judge Zafar Iqbal from additional sessions heard the case today. Sardar Masroof, Khan’s attorney, was present at the hearing.
The court queried when the PTI leader would arrive during the hearing.
Khan is travelling by road from Lahore to Islamabad, the lawyer said, and he will arrive in the allotted time.
He added that he was unable to get in touch with Imran Khan and as a result, was unable to provide a precise arrival time. Imran Khan would visit the financial court first before coming here, he claimed.
The plaintiff’s attorney then stated that “we cannot wait for you” and requested a specific time.
The hearing was then postponed till noon by the court.
