IHC reserves verdict on Imran Khan's plea against arrest warrant

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday reserved its verdict on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan’s plea seeking cancellation of his non-bailable arrest warrant, ARY News reported.

Imran Khan through his lawyer Ali Bukhari moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to quash non-bailable arrest warrants issued in the Toshakhana case.

The verdict was reserved by IHC CJ Justice Amir Farooq after hearing arguments from both sides. After the resumption of the hearing, Imran Khan’s lawyer sought 4 weeks time his [Imran] court appearance.

Cannot give the time of four weeks, should we ask the court to initiate proceedings of absconder against your client? Justice Farooq asked Imran Khan’s lawyer.

The Islamabad High Court reserved the verdict seeking the quashing of the non-bailable arrest warrant for Imran Khan.

Before the adjournment of the hearing for thirty minutes, the IHC top judge asked Imran Khan’s lawyers to ask his client to appear before the sessions court for indictment first and later seek exemptions.

We want the IHC to cancel the non-bailable arrest warrant of my client, Imran Khan’s counsel said. The court is summoning your client for indictment and this is the way to ensure the presence of the accused in the court, the IHC CJ remarked.

The former prime minister appeared before three courts on February 28, but the time ran out and he could not appear before the sessions court, after which his arrest warrant was issued, the counsel said.

Read more: Imran Khan’s plea seeking suspension of arrest warrant dismissed

“Can you give the statement on oath that your client [Imran Khan] wanted to appear before the sessions court on February 28?” Don’t try to flop the system, Justice Amir Farooq remarked and added court is summoning Imran Khan for the trial of the case.

Later, the court adjourned the hearing for half and hour and allowed PTI chief’s lawyer to seek directions that when he will appear before the court.

On February 28, Additional sessions judge Zafar Iqbal of an Islamabad court issued the former prime minister’s non-bailable arrest warrant over his non-appearance.

Toshakhana verdict

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana reference under Article 63(1)(p).

In the written judgment, the ECP said: “As per the statement of Khan he had purchased the gifts from Toshakhana paying 21.564 million rupees while the Cabinet Division said that the gifts had a value of 107.943 million.”

“The amount in his bank account was around half of the value of the state gifts. Imran Khan was bound to declare the cash and bank details in his returns but he didn’t declare it,” ECP decision read.