ISLAMABAD: A local court Wednesday rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s exemption plea and issued his non-bailable arrest warrants in judge threatening case.

Judicial Magistrate Malik Aman, while announcing its reserved judgment, issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Khan and dismissed Khan’s application seeking exemption from personal appearance before it.

The court directed Khan to appear before it on April 18.

It is pertinent to be mentioned here that Additional Sessions Judge Faizan Haider Gillani on March 24, converted a non-bailable arrest warrant issued for former premier Imran Khan into a bailable arrest warrant in the same case and directed him to appear before the court on March 29.

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

At the start of the hearing, Khan Lawyer filed an application seeking exemption of his client from personal appearance before the court. Khan’s also requested the court to retain his bailable arrest warrant as he was facing security threats.

Khan’s counsel further told the court that Khan has security concerns, his life is in danger, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has also issued notices for withdrawing security from him. The court took a short break as no one from the prosecution appeared before the court.

After the break, Prosecutor Raja Rizwan Abbasi appeared before the court.

Rizwan while objecting to Khan’s exemption plea requested the court to reject the PTI chief’s exemption application and issue his non bailable arrest warrant. “Even the plea is not signed by the accused,” he said.

The court after hearing the arguments of both parties reserved its verdict. Later, while announcing its verdict, the court issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Khan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023