ISLAMABAD: A local court dismissed plea of PTI’s Chief Imran Khan seeking cancellation of non-bailable arrest warrants in Toshakhana case and maintained its orders to police to produce him after arresting.

Additional District and Session Judge Zafar Iqbal said that application had been viewed from every legal aspect before issuing this order. He announced verdict which was earlier reserved after hearing arguments from lawyers. Earlier during course of proceeding, Inspector General of Police Islamabad Akbar Nasir appeared before court and adopted stance that what he would answer to families of police personnel who faced cruelty in Lahore. Unarmed personnel were sent there for execution of court orders. IGP said that no any representative of Islamabad police was allowed to meet Imran Khan, adding that an assurance was also given last day regarding his appearance. No one had talked to Islamabad police in Zaman Park instead petrol bombs were pelted on personnel, he said. He said that if one person was given relief then other people had rights of this as everyone was equal in eyes of law. He said that police water cannon was burnt and 65 personnel were injured.

Earlier, judge remarked that Islamabad High Court endorsed orders of this court. He said that court view matter if Imran Khan appeared before it. Court wanted to completely cooperate with accused but had made attendance matter as very complex.

Judge said that court didn’t want to put Imran Khan’s life on risk but there were some legal requirements as court also had to follow directives of IHC. He said that resistance by Imran Khan was so strange, adding that legal team should have told accused that he should cooperate course of law.

Imran Khan’s lawyer Khwaja Haris prayed court to review plea against arrest warrants and undertaking of Imran Khan regarding his appearance. He said that March 18 was very close and court had powers to cancel warrants. 

Published in The Daily National Courier, March, 17 2023

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