Islamabad court reserves verdict on Imran Khan's plea seeking suspension of arrest warrant in Toshakhana case

Imran Khan’s lawyers Ali Bukhari, Qaiser Imam, and Gohar Ali Khan appeared before the district and sessions court, where Bukhari contended that his client has always followed court orders.

A court in Islamabad on March 6 reserved its verdict on a petition filed by Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan against the suspension of his non-bailable warrant in the Toshakhana case.

Mr. Khan’s lawyers Ali Bukhari, Qaiser Imam, and Gohar Ali Khan appeared before the district and sessions court, where Bukhari contended that his client has always followed court orders.

Imam argued that the Islamabad police could not arrest 70-year-old Khan if he was willing to appear before the court on March 7. At this, the judge remarked that the PTI chief could have approached the Islamabad High Court to suspend the warrant.

However, Imam told the judge that they wanted the sessions court to suspend the warrant while Mr. Bukhari added that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief was at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore. “Imran Khan wants to know a way he can appear in court,” said Mr. Bukhari.

Urging the court to suspend the warrant, Imam argued that a private complaint was registered against the PTI chief under the Election Act 2017 and usually arrest warrants were not issued on a private complaint.

The judge, remarking that the PTI chief’s lawyer had informed him that their client would not appear in court, reserved the verdict on the petition.

On February 28, Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against the cricketer-turned-politician for continuously failing to appear before the court in the Toshakhana case.