ISLAMABAD: A local court, on Friday, converted a non-bailable arrest warrant issued for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former premier Imran Khan into a bailable arrest warrant in judge threatening case.

Additional Sessions Judge Faizan Haider Gillani while announcing its reserved judgement on Khan’s plea seeking extension in non-bailable arrest issued for the PTI chief, converted Khan’s non-bailable arrest warrant into a bailable arrest warrant.

It is pertinent to be mentioned here that Senior Civil Judge Rana Mujahid Rahim on March 13, had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Imran Khan in a case registered against the former premier for using threatening language against a female judge.

During the hearing, Khan’s counsel Gohar Ali, requested the court that his client will appear before another court in Toshakhana case on March 30 at district courts; therefore, March 30 date be granted for the hearing of the judge threatening case.

Arguing before the court, he further said that if you issue orders for suspension of an arrest warrant then he will file an application to the civil court for changing the date of the arrest warrant from March 29 to 30.

To this, the judge said that what you are saying is odd. You are requesting March 30 while the order for arrest in the warrant is for March 29.

At this, prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi said that this would then mean that the court may not even dare to issue an arrest warrant. He further said that arguments on plea regarding the suspension of arrest warrant be made on merit. The accused may be a blue-eyed boy for courts but even he is not favoured that much, he said.

Khan’s lawyer requested that the warrant be extended to March 30.

The judge remarked that the court can issue any verdict on March 29.

Did Khan ever appear before the court in a judge-threatening case, the judge questioned. The prosecutor replied that Khan never appeared before the court in this case.

The court, after hearing the arguments of both parties, reserved its judgment for some time. Later, the court while announcing its judgment converted a non-bailable arrest warrant into bailable warrant.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023