Islamabad (Web Desk): A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Monday rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former premier Imran Khan’s plea seeking the suspension of the non-bailable arrest warrant issued for him in the Toshakhana case.
Additional Session judge Zafar Iqbal announced the verdict that he had reserved earlier in the day after a brief hearing of the case.
PTI lawyers Qaisar Imam, Ali Bukhari, and Barrister Gohar appeared on behalf of the party head in the hearing today.
At the outset of the hearing, Ali Bukhari told the court that his client wanted to be given a way to appear in court.
He said that Imran Khan had always implemented court orders, adding that the police could not detain him if he wished to appear before the court.
Upon this, the judged asked the PTI counsel that they could have approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for the cancellation of arrest warrants.
The lawyer responded that the legal team wanted to approach the sessions court for the cancellation of warrants.
Meanwhile, the former ruling party has decided to approach the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to cancel the arrest warrants issued for Imran.
PTI lawyers will file a petition in the high court after obtaining the detailed decision of the sessions court.
It is pertinent to mention that the same court had last week issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Imran Khan for continuously failing to appear before the court in the Toshakhana case.
As per court orders Islamabad Police team on Sunday, led by a superintendent of police, had visited Zaman Park to implement the arrest warrant. But failed to do so.
The PTI chief has also approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) today for post-arrest bail in the case.
Former premier Imran Khan is accused of concealing, in his assets declarations, details of the gifts he retained from the Toshakhana, a repository where presents handed to government officials from foreign officials are kept. Officials are legally allowed to retain gifts provided they pay a pre-assessed amount, typically a fraction of the value of the gift.