An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Thursday issued bailable arrest warrants against Chairman PTI Imran Khan and other co-accused in terrorism cases registered by the capital’s police. ATC Judge Abul Hassnat Muhammad Zulkernain heard the three cases registered by Ramna and Golra Police Stations. Imran Khan’s lawyer submitted a request seeking a one-time exemption from hearing to his client, adding that the ex-prime minister couldn’t appear before the court due to his attendance at Lahore High Court (LHC). The court issued bailable arrest warrants against Imran Khan, Farukh Habib, Shibli Faraz and Hassan Khan Niazi. Meanwhile, an Accountability Court (AC) on Thursday extended the interim bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Chairman and his wife Bushra Bibi in Al-Qadir Trust and toshakhana cases. AC-I Judge Muhammad Bashir heard the bail cases. The court granted one-time exemption from hearing to the PTI chief and Bushra Bibi on the request of their lawyers. The lawyers’ said that the petitioners could not appear this day as they had to attend the proceeding in Lahore High Court (LHC). The court extended the interim bails till July 19, and adjourned further hearing of the case. Meanwhile, a local court on Thursday sought comments from respondents including Chairman PTI Imran Khan on a fresh application of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) seeking to add the name of five more witnesses in Toshakhana criminal case.
The court asked the ECP to give arguments tomorrow while the PTI’s chief was directed to respond in the matter on coming Monday. Additional District and Session Judge Hammayun Dilawar heard the Toshakhana criminal case against former prime minister Imran Khan. Defence Lawyer Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that they had challenged the admissibility of the case before IHC but the case couldn’t be taken up this day due to the leave of chief justice. He prayed the court to adjourn the case for this day and also requested the judge to grant one time exemption from attendance to PTI’s chairman.
ECP’s counsel Amjad Pervaiz opposed the request of defence lawyer and said that the accused had never attended the proceeding since the case had been lodged here. He also submitted a request to add five more people in the list of case witnesses. The lawyer prayed the court to direct the officer concerned to Toshakhana to come up with the original record.
The court sought arguments from PTI’s chairman in the application coming Monday and also accepted one-time exemption from appearance of the accused.
