New Delhi: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday suspended the non-bailable arrest warrants for former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in his alleged connection with the Toshakhana case, news agency ANI reported.
IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq suspended Khan’s arrest warrant till March 18 providing him a chance to appear before the trial court for the Toshakhana case. He also instructed Islamabad district and sessions court and capital police to provide adequate security to Imran Khan.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief’s lawyers Khawaja Haris and Barrister Gohar appeared before the court and senior leader Shibli Faraz was also present in the courtroom during the proceedings.
The high court also stated that the former prime minister should appear within the court hours on Saturday, and added that if he does not appear, contempt of court proceedings will be initiated against Imran Khan.
It is to be noted that the ousted prime minister’s legal team reached the IHC where his lawyer Khawaja Haris filed a petition challenging an Islamabad district and sessions court order that dismissed the party chief’s plea to suspend the arrest warrant. The petition requested the high court to admit the undertaking of Imran Khan and to restrain the police from executing the arrest warrant.
At the outset of the hearing on Friday, the high court inquired about the basis on which the trial court rejected the undertaking provided by Imran Khan to which his lawyer Haris said the trial court stated that non-bailable warrants could not be cancelled.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Islamabad police, backed up by their Punjab Police compatriots and the Rangers, arrived at the ex-premier’s house to execute the non-bailable arrest warrant issued by an Islamabad sessions court.
Meanwhile, the LHC will hear the petitions filed by the PTI chief seeking protective bail in nine FIRs registered against him in Islamabad and Lahore.