An Islamabad district and classes court docket on Monday upheld the non-bailable arrest warrants for PTI Chairman Imran Khan it issued final week within the Toshakhana case over his persistent absences within the case hearings.
Extra Periods Decide Zafar Iqbal introduced the decision reserved earlier within the day after listening to the arguments on an software filed by the PTI chief looking for the cancellation of his warrants.
The identical court docket had final week issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Imran after he determined to not flip up earlier than the court docket whereas attending hearings of three different circumstances — prohibited funding, terrorism, and tried homicide — filed in opposition to him in different native courts positioned in proximity.
On Sunday, an Islamabad police team was sent to Lahore to arrest Imran with the court docket summons. Nonetheless, it returned empty-handed after the PTI chief evaded the arrest.
Subsequently, Imran petitioned the Islamabad classes court docket arguing that the withdrawal of warrants would allow him “a good alternative to seem and defend himself” within the case.
The PTI chief is accused of concealing, in his belongings declarations, particulars of the items he retained from the Toshakhana — a repository the place presents handed to authorities officers from international officers are stored. Officers are legally allowed to retain items offered they pay a pre-assessed quantity, usually a fraction of the worth of the present.
Court order
In the judgement issued today, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, ADSJ Iqbal said that Imran had not challenged the arrest warrants issued for him at any forum.
“The accused was in a position to appear in this court on Feb 28 after his appearances in different honourable courts but he wilfully avoided to appear in this court.
“A warrant shall remain enforced until it is cancelled by the court which issued it or until it is executed as per Section 75(2) Cr.P.C,” the court order stated.
It said that the warrant had been issued for Imran’s appearance in the trial, but noted that the PTI chief was not present in court even today.
“The accused has not surrendered himself before the court till yet and no application for his personal appearance for today is annexed with the [court] record. The accused has not appeared in court for ensuring his appearance in the trial in future, therefore, the application is rejected,” it added.
The hearing
PTI lawyers Qaisar Imam, Ali Bukhari, and Barrister Gohar appeared on behalf of the party head in the hearing today.
At the outset of the hearing, Bukhari told the court that his client wanted to be given a way to appear in court. He said the PTI chief had always implemented court orders, adding that the police could not detain him if he wished to appear before the court.
“You could have approached the Islamabad High Court for the cancellation of arrest warrants,” the judge asked the PTI counsel.
The lawyer responded that the legal team wanted to approach the sessions court for the cancellation of warrants.
Imran approaches LHC
Separately, Imran has also approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) for bail in three different cases pertaining to the Toshakhana reference, vandalism at the Islamabad judicial complex and violence outside the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
However, Dawn.com has learnt that the LHC registrar has raised objections on Imran’s pleas, saying that complete documents had not been submitted along with the petitions.
New FIR registered against Imran, 150 others
Meanwhile, it emerged today that a new first information report (FIR) was filed against 150 people, including Imran, at Lahore’s Race Course Police Station on the complaint of Sub-Inspector Nadeem Tahir, the station house officer of Islamabad’s Secretariat Police Station on Sunday at 7:50pm.
The case was registered under Sections 148 (armed rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 172 (absconding to avoid summons), 173 (preventing service of summons), 174 (nonattendance in obedience to an order from public servant), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 212 (harbouring offender), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 506(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The FIR said that when an Islamabad police team had visited Zaman Park a day ago to arrest Imran, a charged crowd of 100-150 people with sticks and rods surrounded the team and threatened to kill them if the police proceeded to arrest the PTI chief.
It added that the crowd forcefully stopped the police team and pushed it around despite the latter’s attempts to make the people understand.
The complainant said he could identify the crowd members if they were presented before him.
He also said that PTI Senator Shibli Faraz came to meet the team and impeded them from carrying out their task through delaying tactics.
The FIR added that Faraz said Imran was not at home and “protected him from arrest by hiding the facts with ill intent”, pointing out that Imran later held a live press conference from the site.
Responding to reports of the FIR, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry said it brought the total number of cases against Imran to 75 with a separate FIR registered in Quetta as well.
Toshakhana case
The 70-year-old former prime minister, who has been recovering from a gunshot injury from an assassination attempt in Wazirabad last year, has thrice skipped indictment hearings in an Islamabad sessions court in the case.
Imran was set to be indicted in the Toshakhana Reference on Feb 28, but his lawyer had requested ADSJ Zafar Iqbal that he be exempted from the hearing because he had to appear in several other courts. His indictment was deferred twice before.
The judge had then issued arrest warrants for Imran and adjourned the hearing till March 7.
The reference, which alleges that Imran had not shared details of the gifts he retained from the Toshaskhana (during his time as the prime minister) and proceeds from their reported sales, was filed by lawmakers from the ruling coalition final yr. On October 21, the Election Fee of Pakistan (ECP) had concluded that the previous premier had certainly made “false statements and incorrect declarations” concerning the items.
The Toshakhana is a division underneath the Cupboard Division that shops items given to rulers and authorities officers by heads of different governments and international dignitaries. Based on Toshakhana guidelines, items/presents and different such supplies acquired by individuals to whom these guidelines apply shall be reported to the Cupboard Division.
The watchdog’s order had mentioned Imran stood disqualified underneath Article 63(1)(p) of the Structure.
Subsequently, the ECP had approached the Islamabad classes court docket with a replica of the reference, looking for proceedings in opposition to Imran underneath prison regulation for allegedly deceptive officers concerning the items he acquired from international dignitaries throughout his tenure because the prime minister.
Extra reporting by Wasim Riaz.
Source link