ISLAMABAD, March 24, 2023: A court in the federal capital on Friday reserved its verdict on a plea seeking an extension in suspension of arrest warrants against PTI Chairman Imran Khan in a case related to threatening a woman magistrate while addressing a public gathering last year.
Additional Sessions Judge Faizan Haider Gilani reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from the special prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi and counsel for the former prime minister, Gohar Ali.
Mr Ali informed the judge that his client would appear before a court in Islamabad in the Toshakhana case on March 30 and sought extension in suspension of his arrest warrants till that date. The PTI lawyer said he would file an application to change the arrest warrants’ date. “It’s strange that you are asking for March 30 while the date for arrest warrants is March 29,” the judge remarked.
The prosecutor said arguments should be made on a petition seeking suspension of the arrest warrants. When judge asked if Mr Khan every appeared in court, the prosecutor said that the PTI chief never attended the hearing of the threatening case. He said that no lawyer had even submitted power of attorney on the behalf of the PTI chairman in the case.
After hearing arguments, the judge reserved his verdict, which expected to be announced shortly.
Earlier this month, the district and sessions court extended till March 24 the suspension of non-bailable arrest warrants for Mr Khan in woman judge threat case.
It is to be mentioned that during the previous hearing Additional Sessions Judge Faizan Haider Gilani had suspended Imran Khan’s arrest warrants and ordered him to appear before court concerned on March 20 (Monday).
On March 13, Civil Judge of District and Sessions Court Rana Mujahid Azeem had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Imran Khan for threatening a woman judge Zeba Chaudhry.