ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court in Islamabad issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case on Tuesday while he was granted interim bail in three cases, including those involving attempted murder and unlawful funding. The PTI chairman appeared before the banking court, anti-terrorism court, and sessions court at the Judicial Complex in Islamabad today amidst a busy schedule. However, he chose to forego the hearing on the gifts given to Toshakhana. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted interim bail to PTI chief Khan in the attempted murder case. Khan was given temporary release from custody until March 9 in exchange for $100,000 in surety bonds by IHC Judge Aamer Farooq.
At the Secretariat police station in the federal capital, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and National Assembly member Moshin Nawaz Ranjha filed the case against the ousted prime minister in October of last year. The PM was removed from office following a no-confidence vote in April. After being attacked outside the Election Commission of Pakistan’s office in Islamabad, where PTI workers and supporters were protesting the ECP’s decision to remove their party chief from office in the Toshakhana case, Ranjha went to the police. Imran Khan was disqualified from running in the election on October 21 after it was discovered that he had failed to disclose information about Toshakhana gifts and sales proceeds while he was prime minister.
As Imran Khan arrived at the judicial complex in the federal capital, a large number of PTI workers entered the building by knocking its gate down.
Security arrangements at Sector G-11 of the judicial complex were disrupted as the PTI workers removed all barriers.
Earlier today, a district and sessions court in Islamabad issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for the PTI chief in the Toshakhana case against him.
Additional sessions judge Zafar Iqbal, who conducted the hearing of the case, announced the decision as Khan failed to appear before the court despite repeated orders.
During the course of proceedings, Khan’s lawyer Ali Bukhari and Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) lawyer Saad Hasan were present in court. The hearing of the case was conducted by judge Zafar Iqbal.
Khan’s lawyer informed the court that the former has left Lahore a while ago. “Imran Khan has to appear before two courts in the judicial complex.”
He said that Khan will not be able to appear in this court today.
Bukhari requested the court to adjourn the hearing for five days.
“Why is it that Imran can appear in 11 courts but not at the katchehri?” inquired the judge.
The court will frame charges against him so he should come here and then leave, he remarked.
“Khawaja Haris is Imran Khan’s lawyer in this case and he is not available to appear in this court today,” he added.
The judge sought Khan once again in the Toshakhana case today.
Both of Khan’s lawyers — Ali Bukhari and Sardar Masroof — are were reportedly giving contradictory statements about Khan’s arrival.
