Pakistan court issues non-bailable arrest warrant for Imran Khan

As reported, Pakistan’s Islamabad court on Wednesday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan in the case of threatening a judge.

The Islamabad court’s civil judge announced the verdict, rejecting Khan’s petition seeking an exemption from today’s hearing. The case dates back to 20 August, 2022, when the PTI chairman condemned the police as well as the judiciary over the alleged custodial torture of Shahbaz Gill and announced that his party would file cases against the then-Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr Akbar Nasir Khan, the DIG, and Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry.

Meanwhile, today in the hearing, Khan’s lawyers requested to retain his bailable arrest warrant as he was facing security threats. “Imran Khan has security concerns; his life is in danger; and the Islamabad High Court has also issued notices for withdrawing security from him,” the PTI chief’s counsel said. At this point, the judge said that no one has appeared on behalf of the prosecution yet.

Earlier on Friday, the Islamabad district and sessions court converted the non-bailable arrest warrant, issued to PTI Chairman in the alleged threats to a judge case, into a bailable warrant. The court dismissed the former premier’s plea to extend the suspension of the said arrest warrant as it announced the verdict today.