ISLAMABAD: A local court, on Tuesday, summoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former premier Imran Khan on March 13 for framing charges against him in Toshakhana case.

Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal, while announcing its judgment after Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended Khan’s arrest warrant issued for him, fixed March 13 for the indictment of Khan in the Toshakhana case.

Earlier, the court adjourned the hearing of the Toshakhana case till the IHC decided on the plea filed by the PTI chief seeking the cancellation of the arrest warrants issued for him in the same case.

Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal while hearing the case observed that not a single case had been dragged on for long in the court. The PTI’s chief appeared before other courts but not in this court even though his application seeking exemption from personal appearance was repeatedly approved.

Sardar Masroof Khan, a junior lawyer of Imran Khan’s legal team, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha, and the counsel for Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Saad Hasan appeared before the court.

At the outset of the hearing, the judge asked Khan’s lawyer that whether his client will appear in court. Masroof replied that he is not aware of his client’s appearance in court. The senior counsels will be arriving in the court by 10 am, he further said.

The judge asked that is his client’s guarantor not in the court. Khan’s lawyer said that

a notice could not be issued to the guarantor because the legal procedure had yet to be completed.

At that, the judge said that the guarantor was bound to ensure that the former prime minister appeared in court. The court took a short break.

When the hearing started after the break, Khan’s counsel Sher Afzal Marwat appeared in court and told the court that Khan’s legal team was at the IHC. He further told the court he submits his power of attorney in a day or two. Khan’s lawyer requested the court to adjourn the hearing of the case till next week.

Marwat told the court that his client is not feeling well and he has a disability.

Saad Hasan, the ECP lawyer requested the court to issue a notice to Khan’s guarantor and cancel his surety. He also requested the court that the hearing be adjourned till March 9.

Marwat further said that Khan had to appear before the IHC on March 9 at any cost. “I have been told that it will be easier for Imran to appear in F-8 district courts next week,” he added.

To this, the judge said that in other words, Khan will not appear in court even on March 9. The judge said that he was waiting for a decision from the IHC in the case. The court will take a decision if the situation remains the same, the judge said.

Ranjha said that the case was pending before this court for the past six months and the PTI chief had not once appeared before the judge.

The court adjourned the hearing again and directed Marwat to submit his power of attorney till 2 pm.

Marwat and another lawyer Faisal Chaudhry appeared after the break.

Marwat told the court that a plea for cancellation of the arrest warrant of Khan has been filed at the IHC.

Khan’s lawyer further argued before the court that his client stated several times that his life was in danger. An attack had also taken place previously at an Islamabad district court.“The current situation suggests that if an attack were to happen on Imran Khan, it would take place within the courtroom,” the lawyer said. “In addition to the threat to Imran’s life, there is also a threat to the lives of lawyers, judges, and citizens,” he said.

The judge remarked that the arrangement of security was the responsibility of the court. He said that the hearing of the case be fixed for March 9, saying that he would issue the necessary directives for ensuring security.

Faisal Chaudhry, Khan’s lawyer stated that there was a high chance of the PTI chief being attacked during an appearance in court.

The court adjourned the hearing of the case till the IHC decided on the plea filed by Khan seeking cancellation of the arrest warrant issued for him.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023