Islamabad (Web Desk): The Islamabad High Court on Friday stopped police from arresting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former premier Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case.
IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Aamer Farooq heard PTI chief's plea challenging the order of Islamabad’s district and session court that had issued the arrest warrant for the PTI chief.
The court said that the former prime minister should be given a chance to appear before the court.
The IHC's Registrar Office (RO) raised objection to Khan's petition challenging his arrest warrants in the Toshakhana case.
As per the RO, Imran Khan's biometric verification is not available.
How can the high court hear the same matter on which it has already made its decision?" the office also questioned.
However, the court later decided to take up Khan's plea with the RO's objections.
Earlier on Friday, the PTI chief challenged the Islamabad court's decision of rejecting his plea seeking suspension of his arrest warrants issued against him in the Toshakhana gifts case.
In his petition, Imran Khan requested: "The undertaking should be accepted and the police should be stopped from arresting [him]."
The former premier also assured the court of his appearance before the Islamabad court on March 18 Saturday, requesting the court to hear his plea urgently.
On Thursday, an Islamabad district and sessions court rejected Pakistan Imran Khan's plea seeking the suspension of non-bailable arrest warrants issued for the ex-premier in the Toshakhana case.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal announced the reserved verdict and remarked that the warrants could not be suspended on the basis of an undertaking.
He passed the order while hearing the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) reference seeking criminal proceedings against former prime minister Imran Khan for concealing details of Toshakhana gifts.
During the proceedings of the case earlier on Thursday, the judge had offered Imran that he would halt attempts by the Islamabad police to arrest him at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore if he surrendered before the court.
The offer came as skirmishes broke out between the Islamabad police and PTI activists when the former reached Imran’s residence.
Both sides battled for two days, with other law enforcement agencies joining the Islamabad police. Calm only returned after judicial intervention.
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday said that its Wednesday's order to postpone police operation at Zaman Park, to arrest Chairman Imran Khan, will remain in force till Friday.
Meanwhile, The former premier has decided to appear in the LHC for protective bail in multiple cases.
