The Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended on Friday the arrest warrant for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (IHC) Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case, Aaj News reported.

The PTI chairman had filed the petition after an Islamabad sessions court rejected Imran’s plea seeking suspension of his arrest warrant issued in the Toshakhana case.

On Thursday, Additional District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal had rejected a petition filed by Imran for the nullification of arrest warrants in the Toshakhana case. It also maintained its order to arrest Imran and present him in court by March 18.

Petition to halt Zaman Park police operation: Imran Khan to appear before LHC

In a petition filed today, Imran said he hoped that the Islamabad court’s order would be set aside and his arrest warrant would be suspended so that he can appear in court on March 18.

The petition said the police should be stopped from arresting him.

Toshakhana case: Islamabad court rejects PTI’s plea for nullification of Imran’s arrest warrant

Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had barred the police from conducting an operation to arrest Imran in the Toshakhana case from his residence in Zaman Park in Lahore till Friday 11am.

Previously, it had stopped police till Thursday 10am. Police was set to resume the operation on Thursday and PTI workers blocked the entrance of Imran’s Zaman Park residence before LHC issued the new directive.

However, as per Reuters, even though there was no police presence on Friday, witnesses said Imran’s supporters, armed with batons and iron rods, remained stationed outside his home.