Cancellation of Imran’s warrants in the Toshakhana investigation
A judge delays the indictment of the PTI head amid ongoing conflict between police and party activists.
ISLAMABAD: Due to clashes between police and party activists outside the Islamabad Judicial Complex, Additional District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal on Saturday revoked the arrest warrants issued against PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the Toshakhana (gift depository) case and permitted him to leave after marking his attendance without being charged.
Due to the severe fighting between the two sides outside the complex, the judge declared that it was not appropriate to hold the hearing and appearance and ordered that it be postponed until March 30 (Thursday).
As Imran’s convoy approached the courthouse in preparation for his hearing before the district and sessions court in the Toshakhana case, there were violent skirmishes between the police and PTI activists.
The PTI chairman’s car was stopped just 100 meters from the judicial complex’s entrance. The police claimed party members had blocked the road, but the PTI insisted that the authorities were impeding Imran’s freedom of movement.
The PTI chairman was unable to appear before the judge despite the conclusion of court hours.
As Imran’s attendance was marked, Judge Iqbal urged everyone gathered outside the premises to leave without using violence of any kind, including throwing rocks or shells.
The PTI leader drove out from the judicial complex’s entrance in his armored car and headed towards Lahore.
The PTI leader claimed in an audio message released to the media that despite waiting outside the judicial complex’s gate for 15 minutes and making every effort to enter inside, the police had deployed tear gas and set up checkpoints.
They seem to not want me to get here, he continued.
He nevertheless insisted once more that he was attempting to enter the complex from outside.
A total of 4,000 party activists who were traveling with the PTI head attempted to escort him onto the court grounds, but were unable to do so due to security measures.
The police responded with tear gas as the activists attacked them with bricks and stones as they surrounded the complex.
Imran was due to appear in court to testify over allegations made by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that he failed to disclose information about gifts he received from the Toshakhana in his asset declarations.
Imran had arrived at the gate but was being prevented from entering the premises, the PTI chairman’s attorney Khawaja Haris informed the judge as the court’s proceedings continued.
Judge Iqbal questioned the PTI leader’s exclusion from the court grounds.
Imran “should have been here as the court started at 8:30am,” the ECP attorney said.
The judge continued that the former premier was “suffering difficulties,” and he advised the court to wait until he arrived.
Moreover, PTI attorney Awan created a fresh application on the party leader’s behalf. The application stated, “I am at the gate of the judicial complex and I’m being denied access.
In order to mark his attendance and “initiate contempt of court proceedings against the police,” the former premier asked the court to deploy staff.
Following a brief break, Judge Iqbal gave the court staff the order to bring a police officer with them and deliver Imran to him.
The judge granted the PTI lawyer’s plea to send party representatives along with the court personnel.
The judge then instructed a court official to record Imran’s attendance outside the courtroom. Once the attendance is recorded, Imran can return, the judge said.
The court personnel and Babar Awan left the courtroom in accordance with the judge’s instructions to signify the PTI leader’s attendance.
Shibli Faraz, a top PTI politician, was being “tortured” by the police, Haris also told the court.
The judge responded by saying he wished to put an end to the current disturbance.
The previous premier’s concerns about security led to the hearing’s location being shifted from the F-8 Katcheri to the G-11 Court Complex.
Police were accused of “preventing Imran from going to court,” according to PTI Secretary General Asad Umar.
He continued by stating that the former prime minister was close to the courthouse and that the police were obstructing his way.
Umar added that the police began firing tear gas shells at Imran rather than allowing him to go to court.
He continued, “The police are displaying [one of] their worst brutalities.
After numerous summonses, Imran attempted to appear before the sessions court for the first time on Saturday.
A day earlier, the Islamabad High Court allowed the PTI chairman the chance to appear before the sessions court on his own initiative by suspending the non-bailable arrest warrants issued for him till Saturday.
Imran said earlier in the day in a video message that the current government planned to detain him as he arrived at the sessions court in Islamabad.
The PTI leader claimed he knew he would be detained but still made his way to the court because he believed in the rule of law in a special statement while traveling to Islamabad.
He declared, “I want to tell you all that these people [government] have created a plan to arrest me,” and that he was prepared to testify in court in Islamabad as well.
“The Zaman Park operation was undertaken to put me in jail…because it is part of the London plan to put me in jail,” he continued. “It was conducted to make me appear before the court.
He insisted that Nawaz Sharif, the leader of the PML-N, had made this “demand” in an effort to keep him from running in the upcoming elections.
This statement was reiterated by the PTI head on Twitter as well.
The entire Lahore siege, he continued, “was not about ensuring I appear before the court in a case but was planned to send me away to prison so that I am unable to conduct our election campaign.
It is now obvious that the PDM [Pakistan Democratic Movement] government aims to arrest me despite the fact that I have always been granted bail. I am traveling to Islamabad to the court despite being aware of their malicious intents because I believe in the rule of justice. But everyone should be aware of the criminal goal of this conspiracy of thieves, he continued.
When Imran’s convoy arrived at the Islamabad toll booth earlier, there were claims that the road was blocked.
The Islamabad authorities must open the federal capital’s internal highways, according to PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry.
“Islamabad’s internal roadways should be opened right now. Let the country’s constitution and laws stand, he added in a tweet.
According to the former federal communications minister, “police terrorism in the name of administrative arrangements is not acceptable.” The party was seeking an urgent writ in the Islamabad High Court, he continued.
Umar of PTI also criticized the capital administration for “stopping highways” on Twitter.
The court’s access routes are completely shut. Also, no one with a name on the court list is permitted to pass. It appears that well-known terrorists are moving in,” he continued.
All city roads are open, according to a police spokesperson in Islamabad, who also noted that extra security measures have been put in place around the judicial complex.
The Islamabad police further stated that the court’s directives and code of conduct were being observed and that 12 journalists—three of them were women—who were on the court’s roster were now present inside the courthouse.
In addition, an emergency has been declared in Islamabad’s hospitals as a result of the current situation in the federal capital.
The police continued by saying that Imran’s convoy had caused a traffic jam since it had entered the Islamabad-Srinagar Highway from the wrong direction.
The PTI chief’s convoy was further ordered by the police to turn around at the next available U-turn.
Babar Awan, the attorney for the PTI chairman, submitted a formal plea to the court challenging the exclusion of party attorneys, officials, and media from the courtroom complex.
Awan said in the application that “the entire area has been sealed off in the name of security by the police and government.
The PTI attorney continued by saying that despite the high court’s unambiguous directives, the situation was grave and worrying.
Awan stated, “There is no legal basis for prohibiting the entry of attorneys and reporters in the open court.
He asked the court to take note of the “bad and indefensible policy of the administration” and issue orders allowing key people, such as lawyers and the press, to enter the complex.
On the Lahore-Islamabad M-2 Motorway, close to the Islamabad Toll Plaza, there was a considerable police presence.
Police officers from Rawalpindi, under the direction of CPO Khalid Hamdani and SP Potohar, were sent out and given riot gear and tear gas. PTI activists arrived in big numbers at the Islamabad Motorway Toll Plaza as well.
Authorities partially blocked off the toll plaza and divided traffic into two lanes.
Also, it was claimed that tear gas shelling occurred at the toll plaza while Section 144 was in effect in the capital.
On the Islamabad Srinagar Highway, where a sizable group of PTI activists had assembled, the police allegedly baton-charged the protesters.
Due to reports that party activists were attempting to obstruct the motorway, law enforcement was put on high alert.
No one will be permitted to carry weapons, they claimed, as per orders.
Law enforcement officials also stated that before the demonstration entered Islamabad, guns would be removed from event attendees.
Under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, a case has been opened at the Ramna police station in Islamabad against Imran and party members for allegedly injuring police officers and damaging property while heading the procession.
The interior ministry will get a report on the harm done to government property and police cars.
The PTI chairman’s “antics” in recent days, according to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, have “laid exposed his fascist and militant tendencies” if anyone had any concerns about them.
“He [Imran] has taken a leaf out of the RSS’ (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) book. From using people as human shields to throwing petrol bombs at police to leading ‘jathas’ [mobs] to frighten judiciary,” he tweeted.
Marriyum Aurangzeb, the federal minister of information and broadcasting, stated during a news conference that all state institutions were accountable for establishing the writ of the government.
She continued, “Allowing the accused to appear in court amid crowds would send a message that Pakistan’s legal system and justice system were wary of terrorists, thugs, goons, threats, and abuses.
The minister added that Imran was not frightened of toying with national interests, devising conspiracies and shamelessly breaking the law and the Constitution of Pakistan.
The federal government also made a suggestion that it would start a legal process to outlaw the previous ruling party.
At a press conference held at the PML-N Secretariat in Lahore’s Model Town, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah stated that there was enough evidence to submit a reference against the PTI, an option that his party’s legal staff was now investigating.
A party could only be prohibited by the courts, he continued.
He said the Punjab police had intervened in a “no-go region” with the cooperation of other law enforcement organizations.
In a jab at Imran, he claimed, “A so-called political leader had created a climate of dread.
He went on to say that even while there was “opposition” to following the court’s order, this did not make it more likely that there was a terrorist organization present.
He continued by saying that 65 people had been detained outside the home of the former prime minister, the majority of whom were from outside Punjab and whose involvement was “suspect.”
Weapons, grenades, and tools for building petrol bombs, according to Sanaullah, were also found there.
The minister asserted that Imran had been “pursu[ing] his plan for the previous 10 years” and that his goal was to sow discord and instability throughout the nation.
The PTI leader was “ready to riot” even while serving in the government, he continued.
Imran allegedly arrived at the courthouse with at least 300 to 400 armed men, according to the PML-N leader.
He also said that to get rid of those people, the police had to use force.
He claimed that the previous prime utilized the idea of a threat to life as a justification.
He continued, “They [PTI] know they are lying yet they claim about security dangers because they want to avoid legal action.
According to PML-N senior vice president and chief organizer Maryam Nawaz, courageous leaders do not worry about being arrested or held accountable. Only criminals, terrorists, and thieves are afraid of being caught and held accountable, she tweeted.
According to Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, the courts should remove the “false” notion that justice is equal for all after the former premier stood outside the courthouse in the Toshakhana case and his arrest warrants were revoked.
He further mentioned that a judge granted bail in nine cases after it opened in the evening.
He continued, “It is expected from the supreme judiciary that the petitioner’s conduct must be assessed before providing such facilities.
(With assistance from organizations and our correspondent in Lahore)
