Pakistan: Islamabad Court issues non-bailable arrest warrants against Imran Khan for threatening female judge

A district and sessions court in Islamabad issued non-bailable arrest warrants for PTI chairman Imran Khan on Monday in a case pertaining to using threatening language against a woman additional district and sessions judge and senior police officers, Dawn reported. Senior Civil Judge Rana Mujahid Rahim has instructed the police to arrest the former prime minister and present him before the court by March 29. He also said that the court will hear arguments on Imran`s petition seeking to be dismissed from the case in the next proceedings.

The PTI chairman had on August 20 condemned the police as well as the judiciary the over alleged custodial torture of Shahbaz Gill and announced that his party would file cases against Inspector General of Police (IGP) Akbar Nasir Khan, the DIG and Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry, as per the report by Dawn. Initially, Imran was booked under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). Besides, Islamabad High Court (IHC) also initiated contempt of court proceedings against him.

Later, the IHC removed the terrorism charges against Imran and also pardoned him after he tendered an apology in the contempt case. However, a similar case, filed after the registration of a first information report (FIR) against him for threatening the judge, is pending before the sessions court.As the hearing resumed today, the PTI filed a plea requesting an exemption from personal appearance for Imran.

However, Judge Rahim issued a warning that non-bailable arrest warrants could be issued for the former premier if he failed to appear before the court today.Dawn reported that after a brief recess in the hearing, Imran`s counsel Naeem Panjotha filed another petition seeking the acquittal of his client in the case.He said the in-person appearance of an application was not mandatory in the acquittal plea. After hearing arguments, the judge reserved judgment on the exemption plea and said it will be announced later today.

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Imran`s lawyer urged the court to hear the plea today and announce its verdict. As the arguments concluded, the judge reserved the verdict on the plea for Imran`s exemption and said that the decision would be announced at 3:15 pm.