ISLAMABAD: A local court on Monday rejected the request of counsel for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for issuing arrest warrants of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in Toshakhana case and granted an exemption to the former prime minister from personal appearance for one day.

District and Sessions Judge Zafer Iqbal, while hearing the case, approved the exemption application of Mr Khan and directed him to ensure his presence during the next hearing to be held on January 31.

The court had declared the ECP’s plea maintainable on December 15 and issued notice to Mr Khan.

At the start of the hearing, Khan’s lead counsel Ali Zafer’s associate Ali Bukhari filed an application before the court seeking exemption of his client from personal appearance before it.

The court asked Khan’s lawyer to furnish a power of attorney on Khan’s behalf. “Have you attached a medical report with the exemption application?” the court asked Khan’s lawyer.

To this, the lawyer said that he will ask for the PTI chief’s medical report through WhatsApp. He requested the court to grant any date in February next month for the next hearing.

The ECP’s counsel while objecting to Khan’s exemption application said that bail cannot be granted to Khan until he appears in person before the court.

He requested the court that if Khan failed to appear before the court today then issues his arrest warrant.

The court approved Khan’s exemption application and adjourned hearing of the case till January 31.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023