ISLAMABAD    -   A judicial magistrate of Islamabad on Satur­day issued arrest war­rants for Pakistan Teh­reek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on his continuous disap­pearance in connection with a case related to his threatening remarks against a female judge and police high-ups. 

The court of Judicial Magistrate Rana Muja­hid Raheem had repeatedly sum­moned Imran Khan in the case but the PTI leader failed to appear. At this, arrest warrants were issued against him. The court had ordered the Station House Officer (SHO) Margalla Police Station to pres­ent the accused Imran Khan Niazi, son of Ikramullah Niazi, before the court after arresting him. 

The capital police had regis­tered FIR No.407 on August 20, against Imran Khan under sections 504/506 and 188/189 for threat­ening female judge Zeba Chaudhry and officials of Islamabad Police. 

However, the clauses of Anti Terrorism Act (ATA) were re­moved from the FIR on the di­rectives of Islamabad High Court (IHC). The case was shifted to the district court from the Anti Ter­rorism Court (ATC) after the de­cision of IHC. The judge of an an­titerrorism court had also ordered the cricketer-turned-politician Im­ran Khan to approach the sessions’ court for interim bail as the mat­ter did not fall in its jurisdiction af­ter the Islamabad High Court (IHC) dropped terrorism charges against him from the FIR lodged by Islam­abad police.

On the other hand, the news of issuance of arrest warrant of Im­ran Khan spread like a jungle fire creating panic among the top lead­ership of PTI and workers across the country. Scores of leaders in­cluding Dr Shehbaz Gill, Fawad Chaudhry, Ali Amin Gandapur and dozens of workers rushed towards Bani Gala House to protect Imran Khan from being arrested by the cops of Islamabad police.

While staging protest demon­strations outside Bani Gala House and chanting slogans in favour of their leader, the charged protes­tors were of view that Imran Khan is their red line and they would not allow anybody to cross that line. They said they would shield Imran Khan from police raid. 

Similarly, heavy contingent of police, led by senior officers, also reached Bani Gala House but re­turned soon without arresting the PTI Chief.

Reportedly, Imran Khan escaped from Bani Gala House ahead of po­lice raid to avoid arrest. Later on, Shibli Faraz, the chief of staff of Im­ran Khan, shared a video on social media showing movement of Im­ran Khan along with party men claiming he is in Bani Gala and had not fled anywhere due to fear of police raid.

Speaking about issue of arrest warrant of Chairman PTI Imran Khan, a police spokesman said that an arrest warrant is a legal pro­cess. Imran Khan did not appear in court on the previous hearing.