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.