Rule of law not rhetoric but has to be followed: IHC

ISLAMABAD: Rule of law is not rhetoric and has different connotations, including obedience to the law, and any defiance thereof naturally has consequences because the law of the land has to and should prevail at all costs, pronounced the Islamabad High Court in its reserved order while disposing of PTI chief Imran Khan’s plea for cancellation of his arrest warrant in the Toshakhana case.

Chief Justice Aamer Farooq took up the petition filed by the PTI legal team, local media reports.

The court observed that in the instant case, non-bailable warrants of arrest had been issued by the trial court solely for the said purpose and it was also a settled proposition that the warrants once issued remained in the field until discharged or executed.

“Since the non-bailable warrants of arrest have been issued by the learned trial court for the purposes of procuring the attendance of the petitioner, the petitioner has undertaken to appear before the learned trial court, the competent court is the learned trial court, it is to satisfy itself regarding the undertaking and pass an appropriate order as to the status of the warrants.

“At this juncture, it would not be out of place to observe that the law and order situation prevailing in Lahore is a sad state of affairs, where the state is being prevented to carry out its obligation for complying with the orders of the court; such defiance of the law is not acceptable in any civilized society and the law needs to be adhered to by the citizens/people of any country in general and persons in the helm of affairs particularly,” said the order.

Earlier in the day, PTI lawyer Khawaja Harris took to the rostrum after the chief justice wrapped up the hearing of another case and pleaded him for an early hearing of his petition.

The chief justice remarked that the PTI petition was yet to be fixed for hearing.

He said the court had provided relief to Mr Khan when it suspended the arrest warrant till March 13 and directed him to appear before the trial court.

“The ongoing situation is a consequence of not implementing the court orders,” the chief justice remarked while hinting at the tense situation in Lahore.

Later, the chief justice removed the objections raised by the registrar's office to the petition regarding the signature and biometrics of the PTI chief.

Justice Farooq directed the PTI lawyers to address the objection regarding tickets in half an hour. The petition was filed after a large contingent of the Islamabad and Punjab Police as well as paramilitary troops reached the Zaman Park in Lahore to arrest the PTI chief.