ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday stopped the police from arresting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case.
Chief Justice Islamabad High Court Aamer Farooq heard Imran Khan’s plea challenging the order of the district and session court that had ordered to arrest Imran Khan.
The high court said that the PTI chief should be allowed to appear before the court.
Registrar’s Office of the IHC had raised objections to the PTI chief’s petition challenging his arrest warrants in the Toshakhana gifts case.
The former prime minister’s biometric verification is not available, the office noted. “How can the IHC hear the same matter on which it has already issued its decision?” the office also questioned.
Later, the court decided to take up Imran Khan’s plea with the RO’s objections.
At today’s hearing, the IHC chief justice inquired about the objections raised on the petition. Imran Khan’s counsel, Khawaja Haris, informed the court that the biometric verification issue had been addressed.
About the objections regarding the high court’s decision on the previous petition, Khawaja Haris said that the court had referred the issue to the trial court.
“We had asked the trial court to look into the undertaking issue,” the chief justice remarked.
He noted that all are equal before the law. “You intend to appear before the court and give assurance in this regard?” the chief justice asked.
Imran Khan’s lawyer pleads court to suspend arrest warrant
At this, Imran Khan’s counsel requested the court to suspend the former prime minister’s arrest warrant so that he could appear before the court.
Chief Justice Farooq warned the lawyer that there would be consequences if he did not fulfill the promise, and contempt proceedings would be initiated.
After this, the court granted relief to the former prime minister and directed the police not to arrest him.
The IHC also directed the district administration and Islamabad police to provide security to Imran Khan during his appearance.
In the petition, Imran Khan challenged the Islamabad court’s decision to reject his plea seeking to suspend arrest warrants issued against him in the Toshakhana case.
Imran Khan, holed up in his Zaman Park residence in defiance of the court order that had directed him to appear before the court, had filed the appeal through his counsel Khawaja Haris.
In his petition, Imran Khan requested: “The affidavit should be accepted, and the Islamabad police should be barred from arresting him.”
Imran Khan also assured the court of his appearance before the Islamabad trial court tomorrow (Saturday), requesting the bench to hear his plea urgently.
“This court has issued a non-bailable warrant of arrest just for the applicant’s appearance. The applicant is ready and wants to appear before this court on March 18, and he has submitted his undertaking in this regard,” the petition stated.
