Arrest warrant in opposition to Pak’s ex-PM Imran Khan suspended until March 13 in Toshakhana case

Imran Khan has been within the crosshairs for getting presents, together with an costly Graff wristwatch he had obtained because the premier at a reduced value from the state depository known as Toshakhana and promoting them for revenue.

The non-bailable arrest warrant in opposition to Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Imran Khan was suspended by Islamabad excessive Court. (File picture/PTI)

By Press Trust of India: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday suspended until March 13 the non-bailable arrest warrant in opposition to Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Imran Khan for his failure to seem earlier than a periods court docket right here for the fourth time within the Toshakhana case.

The IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, saying the decision that he reserved earlier within the day, directed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief to seem earlier than the district and periods court docket on March 13, rejecting a plea by Khan’s lawyer to offer 4 weeks for look earlier than the court docket within the case.

Khan, 70, has been within the crosshairs for getting presents, together with an costly Graff wristwatch he had obtained because the premier at a reduced value from the state depository known as Toshakhana, and promoting them for revenue.

Khan on Tuesday for the fourth time skipped a listening to on the periods court docket, citing well being and safety causes.

The former premier’s counsel Sher Afzal Marwat, who appeared earlier than the court docket, mentioned Khan was unwell and “disabled” after being injured within the Wazirabad assault.

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Marwat mentioned a “global spectacle” was created regarding the PTI chief, whose party on Monday challenged in the IHC the arrest warrant issued against him for not appearing before the court.

Requesting the court to give a date next week for hearing the matter, Marwat maintained that he would provide the power of attorney within “a day or two”.

Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, Khan slammed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government and said it was behind a total of 76 legal cases – so far – raised against him.

“This is what happens when a bunch of criminals is imposed on a nation by those who are devoid of intelligence, morality, and ethics,” he tweeted.

The PTI chief on Monday moved the IHC against the non-bailable arrest warrant ordered by the Islamabad sessions court in the Toshakhana case.

His lawyer Ali Bukhari in the petition before the IHC requested a cancellation of the warrant, arguing that it was “illegal” to issue a non-bailable warrant.

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The IHC then gave Khan another opportunity to choose a date to appear before the courts in the Toshakhana (gift depository) reference.

The court also remarked that the warrants were not issued for arrests but to frame charges against Khan.

“You appear in court for the framing of charges and then request for an exemption,” Justice Farooq said. “The law is the same for everyone. What can the court do?

“The court has to adopt a legal procedure,” he added, maintaining that Khan had to appear in the sessions court today (Monday) but he did not.

“You tell, when will he appear?” the judge asked. “Imran Khan has to appear before me as well. He can come on March 9 and appear before the sessions court too.”

Here, the PTI lawyer said that Khan had severe security threats to which the judge replied that the court’s judges received threats “day-after-day” and asked if he should shut down the IHC because of it.

Khan’s lawyer stated that he would consult with the PTI chief and get “directions” on what to do next “inside half an hour”. The counsel announced that he would speak to Khan over video-link due to “safety issues”.

The court adjourned the hearing for half an hour.

The Islamabad sessions court had earlier on Monday rejected the request to cancel Khan’s arrest warrant.

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Khan had argued that the withdrawal of the summons would enable him “a fair opportunity to appear and defend himself” in the case, but the justice said the PTI chief “willfully prevented” his look.

Khan has earlier thrice skipped indictment hearings within the Islamabad periods court docket within the case.

In his property declarations, he’s accused of concealing particulars of the presents he retained from the Toshakhana — a repository the place presents handed to authorities officers from international officers are stored.

The Islamabad periods court docket choose had on February 28 issued arrest warrants in opposition to Khan and adjourned the listening to until March 7.

On March 5, an Islamabad police group was despatched to Khan’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore with the court docket summons. However, the police returned empty-handed after the PTI chief evaded the arrest.

Separately, Islamabad Police on Monday registered a case in opposition to Khan and 150 of his get together staff for obstructing legislation enforcement company officers from implementing a court docket order in opposition to the ousted prime minister within the Toshakhana case.

The police confronted stiff resistance from PTI activists exterior Khan’s Zaman Park residence.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in October final yr dominated that he made “false statements and incorrect declarations” relating to Toshakhana presents.

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The ECP, afterward, requested the Islamabad periods court docket to proceed in opposition to Khan below felony legislation for hiding the sale of presents.

Khan was ousted from energy in April after dropping a no-confidence vote in his management, which he alleged was a part of a US-led conspiracy concentrating on him due to his impartial international coverage choices on Russia, China, and Afghanistan.

Khan, who got here to energy in 2018, is the one Pakistani Prime Minister to be ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament.

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Published On:

Mar 7, 2023