The non-bailable arrest warrant was issued after Imran Khan failed to appear for the hearing of the case filed against him for threatening a female judge...
Digital Desk: A court in Islamabad issued non-bailable arrest warrants against former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday in a case involving the use of threatening language against a woman, an additional district and sessions judge and senior police officers, Dawn reported. The court in Islamabad has ordered police to arrest Imran Khan and present him before the court by March 29.
The non-bailable arrest warrant was issued after Imran Khan failed to appear for the hearing of the case filed against him for threatening a female judge.
Civil Judge Rana Mujahid Rahim issued the three-page reserved verdict and denied his plea for an exemption from attending the case's hearing in person.
Imran Khan, who was ousted in a vote of no-confidence last year, skipped the hearing once again and submitted a request for an exemption from physically appearing before the judge.
During the hearing, a lawyer for the PTI chief, Intezar Haider Panjutha, stated that the 71-year-old politician should not travel to Islamabad due to security threats. The lawyer added that they had submitted a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) asking for authorization to appear virtually before the courts.
Another lawyer from Khan's legal team stated that a petition has been submitted requesting an exemption from attendance on behalf of the former prime minister on security grounds.
Imran Khan's lawyer also asked that his client's appeal be accepted, stating that "not appearing for some reasons and not being willing to appear are two different things."
The Islamabad court had earlier rejected the PTI chief's plea by saying "if Imran did not appear in court today, a non-bailable arrest warrant against him would be issued."
Earlier, a case was filed against the PTI leader at Islamabad's Margalla police station for hurling threatening remarks at judge Zeba Chaudhry.
