By Special Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: A local court on Monday dismissed the appeal filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan seeking cancellation of his non-bailable arrest warrants in the Tosha Khana case.
The court also maintained his arrest warrant in the said case. District and Session Judge Zafar Iqbal announced the verdict which was reserved earlier in the day after listening arguments from the PTI’s counsel.
Ali Bokhari Advocate, Imran Khan’s Lawyer prayed the court to provide a way as, he said, his client wants to appear before the court adding Imran Khan has always respected judiciary. The court remarked that the chief Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf could move to the Islamabad High Court for the same and subsequently dismissed the petition.
It may be mentioned here that Islamabad police had raided the residence of Imran Khan a day earlier on Sunday after the lower court issued his non-bailable arrest warrants.
The arrest warrants were issued by the Islamabad district and sessions court last week over his persistent absences in the hearings. The same court had last week issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the PTI chief after he decided not to show up before the court while attending hearings in three other cases including the prohibited funding, terrorism, and attempted murder.
A day earlier on Sunday, an Islamabad police team reached Lahore to arrest Imran Khan with the court summons. However, it returned empty-handed after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief evaded the arrest. Later, Imran Khan petitioned the Islamabad court arguing that withdrawal of the arrest warrants would provide him “a fair opportunity to appear and defend himself” in the case.
Imran is accused of concealing, in his assets declaration, details of the gifts he retained from the Tosha Khana — a repository where presents given to the government officials from foreign officials are stored.
Tosha Khana case
The former prime minister has thrice skipped indictment in the case. He was set to be indicted in the Tosha Khana case on February 28, but his lawyer begged the court that he be exempted from the hearing as he had to appear in several other courts in the federal capital. His indictment was deferred twice before. The judge had then issued his arrest warrants and adjourned the hearing till March 7.
