Pakistan court issues non-bailable arrest warrant against Imran Khan in Toshakhana case

The court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Mr. Khan and adjourned the hearing till March 7 for his repeated failure to appear before the court

A Pakistani court on Tuesday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case but he was granted bail in two other cases, amid high drama outside the court premises where hundreds of his supporters converged in support of their leader.

Mr. Khan, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief, travelled from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore to Islamabad to appear in three cases here in the federal capital.

Additional sessions judge Zafar Iqbal issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against the 70-year-year-old Prime Minister in the Toshakhana case.

The court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Mr. Khan and adjourned the hearing till March 7 for his repeated failure to appear before the court.

His indictment, in this case, was earlier postponed twice due to his absence.

Mr. Khan has been in the crosshairs for buying gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch he had received as the premier at a discounted price from the state depository called Toshakhana and selling them for profit.

The former cricketer-turned-politician was, however, granted bail by the Anti-Terrorism court (ATC) as well as the banking court in the prohibited funding case as he appeared here in the judicial complex as hundreds of his supporters thronged the vicinity.