Toshakhana case
\nHigh court directs PTI chief to appear before sessions court on March 13
\n ISLAMABAD
\nThe Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday suspended the non-bailable arrest warrants for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan \u2014 issued by a local court in the capital in the Toshakhana case.
\nIHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq accepted the PTI chief\u2019s plea against Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal\u2019s decision and directed Khan to ensure that he appears before the lower court on March 13.
\nFollowing the high court\u2019s decision, the sessions court, which was also hearing the Toshakhana case, ordered the former prime minister to appear before it, where he will be indicted.
\nOn February 28, Additional Sessions Judge Iqbal issued the former prime minister\u2019s non-bailable arrest warrants for continuously failing to appear before the court in the Toshakhana case.
\nIslamabad police then raided Khan\u2019s residence in Lahore\u2019s Zaman Park but returned empty-handed as the law enforcers were informed that the former prime minister \u201cwasn\u2019t present\u201d there.
\nKhan had then approached the same court for suspending the orders, but Judge Iqbal rejected his plea \u2014 prompting the deposed prime minister to move the IHC.
\nIHC\u2019s hearing
\nAt the outset of the hearing presided by CJ Farooq, Khan\u2019s lawyer Qaisar Imam started his arguments, saying that an attempt on the PTI chief\u2019s life was highly likely during his appearance at the local court.
\nCJ Farooq remarked that the arrest warrant had been issued to ensure Khan\u2019s presence, not for his arrest. \u201cImran Khan should have appeared before the court,\u201d the justice said.
\nHe asked Khan\u2019s lawyers to suggest a way to summon the deposed premier to the court. Issuing arrest warrants is the only way in the law to ensure a suspect\u2019s appearance in court, he added<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Khan\u2019s lawyer requested the court to suspend the arrest warrant. At this, the CJ asked what would the suspension do.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe court is summoning you to conduct a trial. I wouldn\u2019t issue any order that is out of common practice. Imran Khan would have to appear in person for indictment,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n
CJ Farooq further stated that Khan should appear in the lower court as he has to appear in IHC on March 9.<\/p>\n
Lawyer Imam maintained that Khan had serious security threats.<\/p>\n
IHC CJ told the lawyers to consult with Khan about his appearance in court. At this, CJ Farooq referred to last week\u2019s appearance of Khan at the Lahore High Court.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a huge crowd. Who knows who has come with what intention,\u201d the justice said, adding that bringing thousands of people would make things worse.<\/p>\n
The CJ then asked the lawyer to consult with the PTI chief and adjourned the hearing for 30 minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cStay fair with the system, don\u2019t ridicule the system,\u201d he remarked while asking the lawyers if he should suspend the trial in the lower court by giving a two months date.<\/p>\n
The lawyers appeared in court upon resumption of the hearing for the second time, after consulting with Khan as per IHC CJ Farooq\u2019s directive.<\/p>\n
\u201cImran Khan should be given four weeks to appear in court,\u201d Khan\u2019s lawyer requested the court.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Islamabad advocate general contended that Khan doesn\u2019t want to face trial.<\/p>\n
The court then reserved the verdict and announced it hours later.<\/p>\n
Khan skips lower court hearing
\nMeanwhile, the deposed prime minister skipped the hearing in the Islamabad sessions court in the Toshakhana case despite a non-bailable arrest warrant against him.<\/p>\n
At the outset of the hearing earlier in the day, Sardar Masroof Khan, a junior lawyer of Khan\u2019s legal team, appeared before the lower court. Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha and the Election Commission of Pakistan\u2019s (ECP) lawyer Saad Hasan also appeared in court.<\/p>\n
Additional sessions Judge Iqbal inquired whether Khan wouldn\u2019t appear in court again today. The lawyer said it was not known whether the PTI chief would appear or not and that a senior legal team of the PTI chair would appear before the court at 10am. The court then adjourned the hearing till 10am.<\/p>\n
When the hearing resumed, ECP\u2019s lawyer Hasan requested the court to adjourn the hearing till March 9 as Khan is due in the IHC.<\/p>\n
Ranjha supported the lawyer\u2019s request saying that the PTI chief would surely appear before the high court on March 9.<\/p>\n
However, Khan\u2019s lawyer maintained that he had been informed that it would be easier for the former premier to appear in the lower court next week.<\/p>\n
At this, the judge remarked that in other words, it meant Khan wouldn\u2019t appear in the sessions court on March 9.<\/p>\n
The judge directed Khan\u2019s lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat to submit an affidavit. At this, the lawyer assured the court of submitting the document by 11am.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt seems like Imran Khan won\u2019t appear in court today again,\u201d the judge remarked.<\/p>\n
Later, the court adjourned the hearing till 2pm at the request of Khan\u2019s lawyer.<\/p>\n
As the hearing reconvened in the local court, Khan\u2019s lawyer informed the court about filing a plea challenging the arrest warrant issued against the former prime minister in IHC.<\/p>\n
Khan\u2019s lawyer Marwat maintained that there were certain reasons behind the PTI chief skipping hearings. \u201cImran Khan said several times that he had threats to his life,\u201d the lawyer said.<\/p>\n
He said that Khan had been attacked in the lower court in the past and it seems like another attack on him would be made.<\/p>\n
He further stated that the PTI chief would appear in the judicial complex and high court. At this, the judge said that he is issuing orders for security arrangements at the court for a hearing on March 9.<\/p>\n
Khan\u2019s lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat submitted the security report in court.<\/p>\n
Khan has to come to Islamabad on March 9 as he has hearings on bail in the IHC and the judicial complex, said the judge.<\/p>\n
He said that he will issue directives on security to the inspector general (IG) and the Interior Ministry.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Toshakhana case will be dealt with as per the law,\u201d remarked the judge. The lawyer said that the IHC would reserve and announce its verdict on the arrest warrant suspension after a while.<\/p>\n
Lawyer Faisal Chaudhry said that the court should ask questions about the security of the relevant institutes. \u201cThe court should decide on what the security agencies say,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The concerns over security conditions in court are something serious, he said.<\/p>\n
The court then adjourned the hearing till the IHC\u2019s orders. Following the high court\u2019s order, the lower court ordered Khan to appear before it on March 13 for indictment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Toshakhana case High court directs PTI chief to appear before sessions court on March 13 ISLAMABAD The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday suspended the non-bailable arrest warrants for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan \u2014 issued by a local court in the capital in the Toshakhana case. IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq accepted the PTI […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":313977,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-318108","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n