ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), on Thursday, issued bailable arrest warrant for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran in the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) attack case.

The ATC judge, Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain, issued a bailable arrest warrant for Khan in two cases registered at Ramna and one case at Golrapolice station.

At the start of the hearing, PTI chief counsel Sardar Masroof and Mirza Asim filed an application seeking an exemption for their client from personal appearance before the court.

During the hearing, PTI chief’s lawyer Sardar Masroof told the court that the PTI chairman did not appear before it on Thursday as he had to appear at the Lahore High Court (LHC). The court after hearing arguments issued bailable arrest warrants for Khan and other PTI leaders including Farrukh Habib, Shibli Faraz, and Hassan Niazi, and adjourned the case till July 19.

Meanwhile, the district and sessions court approved Khan’s exemption application in the Toshakhana case against him and adjourned the hearing of the case till July 15.

Additional Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar while hearing the case turned down PTI chief counsel’s request to adjourn the case till Monday, and the court adjourned the hearing till Saturday next.

Khan’s counsel Barrister Gohar Khan and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)’s counsels, Amjad Pervez andSaad Hassan appeared before the court.

At the start of the hearing, the PTI’s chief counsel filed an application seeking a one-day exemption for his client from personal appearance before it.

He further argued that due to the non-availability of chief justice Islamabad High Court (IHC), the application filed by the accused against the ruling of this court has not been fixed for hearing. He requested the court provide another opportunity on the basis of justice.

ECP counsel Saad Hassan opposed the PTI chief’s exemption application. The witness of the case has left an important work and stayed here in Islamabad for recording his statement in this case.

The court after the hearing, approved Khan’s exemption application. The ECP’s counsel, Pervez, while objecting to Khan’s exemption said that this is perhaps the worst case in the history of criminal law of Pakistan.

Since the hearing of the case started, the accused did not appear before the court, he said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023