Islamabad (Web Desk): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday suspended non-bailable arrest warrants for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former premier Imran Khan issued by a district and sessions court in Toshakhana case.
The court also ordered the PTI chief to appear before the district and sessions court on March 13.
Earlier, the IHC reserved its decision as PTI chief had moved the court against the non-bailable arrest warrant ordered by the District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal.
PTI's counsel Ali Bukhari filed the petition requesting a cancellation of the warrant. The plea maintained that it was “illegal” to issue a non-bailable warrant.
During the hearing, Imran’s legal team requested that the high court grant the PTI chief a period of four weeks to appear before the district court.
The IHC CJ maintained that he could not grant Imran four weeks’ time and set a precedent. He furthered that he could also not suspend the trial court’s proceedings.
Justice Farooq also questioned if Imran’s counsel would appear before the IHC on March 9 for the next hearing of the case.
To this, Imran’s lawyer said that the high court was not a problem, rather the location of the district court was the issue.
Justice Farooq stated that even after four weeks F8 – the location of the court – would remain F8.
Imran’s lawyer then stated that the court should give whatever time it deems appropriate.
The advocate general of Islamabad stated that it had been four months, yet the summary trial was not occurring.
The court informed Imran’s lawyers that the next hearing would occur on March 9 at 3pm.
However, Justice Farooq said that four weeks couldn’t be given. “If you say so, we can tell the sessions court to commence proceedings to declare him an absconder.
“In four weeks, you won’t get a new F-8 Katcheri, it will stay the same,” he said.
At that, Imam requested the judge to grant his client as much time as it is possible.
The court then called AG Jadoon to the rostrum.
“Imran Khan can appear in the courts on March 9. We don’t have a problem. He can appear in the sessions court early morning and come to the IHC by 3pm,” he said.
Here, Imran’s lawyers argued that they had reservations regarding the security to which Justice Farooq said the sessions court would assure the provision of proper security.
“We are not worried about ours but the security of the public,” the judge remarked, saying that the lives of common people were as important as his.
He added that life and death were in God’s hands. “If we die, we die.”
The court then reserved its verdict.
Earlier in the day, Imran Khan refrained from appearing before an Islamabad district and sessions court in the Toshakhana case against him due to his injuries.
The former premier’s counsel Sher Afzal Marwat appeared before the court and stated that Imran was unwell and “disabled” after his leg was shot at in the Wazirabad attack. He added that a global “spectacle” was created regarding Imran.
Marwat maintained that he would provide the power of attorney within “a day or two” and that Imran’s legal team was currently at the IHC.
The lawyer requested that the court give a date for next week for hearing the matter.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) counsel requested that the hearing be adjourned to March 9, to which Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha said that Imran had to appear before the IHC on that date.
“Imran Khan will definitely appear in Islamabad High Court on March 9,” Ranjha reiterated.
The ousted premier's lawyer stated that he was told that it would be easier for the PTI chief to appear before the district court next week.
Judge Zafar Iqbal remarked that “in other words, Imran Khan will not appear before the session court even on March 9”.
Taking the rostrum, Ranjha stated that action should be taken according to law, questioning if a common citizen was also given such relief from appearing before a court.
He added that on behalf of Imran, a continuous exemption application was filed, and the exemption was also granted.
The court maintained that the case would be processed according to the law.
The ECP lawyer said that Thursday should be the deadline for submitting the PTI lawyer’s letter and conducting the next hearing.
