ISLAMABAD: A local court on Monday issued a non-bailable arrest warrants for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in a case registered against him for using controversial remarks against a female judge during a rally in the capital city.
Senior Civil Judge Rana Mujahid Rahim while announcing his judgment said the court issued arrest warrants for Khan due to his continuous absence and rejected his plea seeking to exempt him from personal appearance before the court.
The court also directed to produce the PTI’s chief before it on March 29.
The court also observed that the court would hear arguments on the PTI chairman’s acquittal application during the next hearing.
He requested the court that his client was facing threats to his life, therefore, he might be granted an exemption from personal appearance.
At the start of the hearing, Khan’s counsel Naeem Haider Panjotha filed a petition seeking an exemption for his client from personal appearance before the court for one day.
The judge remarked that if the PTI chief failed to appear before it within court time then he will issue non-bailable arrest warrants for him.
The court took a break till 12am.
The judge told the prosecutor after the resumption of the hearing following the break he is going to reject Khan’s exemption application.
Khan’s lawyer requested the court to wait for five minutes as his file is with his clerk.
After a brief recess in the hearing, Imran’s counsel Panjotha filed another petition seeking the acquittal of his client in the case. He adopted the stance that in-person an accused is not mandatory for filing an acquittal plea.
Panjotha further said that Khan survived an assassination attempt with gunshot wounds at Wazirabad and he has yet not completely recovered. The attackers of Wazirabad have yet not been arrested, he said, adding that under an SOP security has to be provided to the former prime minister.
He said the security of his client has been withdrawn and an application has been filed at the Lahore High Court (LHC) for the provision of security to the PTI chief. The PTI chief can be targeted again. He said that his client respects the court and wants to appear before it. Khan had appeared before the court at district courts before assassination attempt against him, he said.
The judge remarked that the court has not summoned Khan for framing charges against him, he was summoned to provide him copies of the case.
The court, after hearing arguments, reserved judgment on the exemption plea for some time.
Later, while announcing its judgment issued a non-bailable arrest for Khan and rejected his exemption application.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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