ISLAMABAD/ LAHORE: The Islamabad police team reached Lahore to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan soon after an Islamabad district and sessions court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Khan in a case against him for hurling threats at a woman judge.
Earlier today, the court ordered the police to arrest Khan — who did not appear in court yet again today with his lawyers citing security concerns— and present him in court by March 29.
An Islamabad police team reached Lahore with Khan's arrest warrant via a special helicopter, Geo News reported.
Meanwhile, an Islamabad court also issued another non-bailable arrest warrant against Khan in the Toshakhana case against him. An additional sessions judge ordered that Khan appear before him by March 18.
The arrest warrants against Khan come as his party stages an election rally in Lahore under his leadership.
Today's court hearing
At the outset of the hearing today, prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi and Imran Khan's lawyers Naeem Panjotha and Intezar Panjotha appeared before the court of civil judge Rana Mujahid Rahim. A request was filed for exemption from attendance on behalf of Imran Khan.
An acquittal was also requested by Imran Khan's lawyers, on which the court issued notices to the parties at the next hearing for arguments.
If Imran Khan does not appear in court today, a non-bailable arrest warrant against him will be issued, the Islamabad district and sessions court judge remarked at the start of the hearing.
It was stated in the petition that a request for exemption from Imran Khan's attendance has been filed on the basis of security concerns.
The judge said that if Imran Khan does not appear during court hours today, he would issue a non-bailable arrest warrant against him.
After that, the court briefly adjourned the hearing till 12:30pm and later resumed it.
A case has been registered against the PTI chair at Islamabad's Margalla police station for hurling threatening remarks at a female judge.
After the break, when the hearing started, civil judge Rahim said that the court has summoned Imran Khan to proceed with indictment proceedings, and that the copies of the case have yet to be provided. He then said he is thus rejecting Imran Khan's request for exemption from attendance today.
Lawyer Intezar Panjotha argued that Khan is a former prime minister and there was a murderous attack on him in Wazirabad. "Imran Khan has not even fully recovered yet [from the Wazirabad attack] and [we fear] there may be another attack on him," the lawyer, argued, saying that the PTI chair was not "running away" from the courts.
Imran Khan's request for exemption from attendance today should be approved, the lawyer said.
The court then reserved its decision on Imran Khan's request for exemption from attendance. Later, the court turned down the plea and issued Khan's arrest warrant.
At a rally at the F-9 park in Islamabad, Khan had warned that he would “not spare” Islamabad's inspector-general, deputy inspector general, and additional district and sessions judge Zeba Chaudhry, vowing to file cases against them for "torturing" PTI leader Shahbaz Gill.
“We will not spare the IG and DIG,” he had said, while addressing the gathering.
The former prime minister had called out the sessions judge, who had approved Gill’s physical remand at the request of the capital police, and said she, too, should "prepare" as a case will also be registered against her.
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