A magistrate in Islamabad has issued an arrest warrant for Imran Khan.
A warrant has been issued in a case against the PTI head for his remarks on the Additional District and Sessions Court. Zeba Chaudhry, Judge
The matter, according to PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, has already been decided by the Islamabad High Court.
A magistrate at Islamabad’s Margalla Police Station issued an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday, according to Aaj News.
Civil Judge Rana Mujahid Rahim issued the warrant in the lawsuit brought on August 20 against the PTI head for his statements against Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry.
Contempt proceedings: Imran Khan files apology affidavit to IHC
The FIR comprises 4 provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC): 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 504 (intentional insult with purpose to cause breach of the peace), 189 (threat to public servant), and 188 (threat to public servant) (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).
The development comes after Imran submitted an affidavit in the contempt case against him for disrespecting Additional Sessions Judge Zeba at one of his rallies.
The former premier swore in the affidavit to “adhere to what I stated in court during the previous hearing.”
“If the court sets more conditions, I will examine them, and if the court is still not satisfied, I am prepared to take other steps,” the affidavit said. However, there was no unconditional apology in the affidavit.
This comes a day after Imran came in Chaudhry’s court to apologise to her, but found that the judge was on leave.
Imran claims he had no intention of threatening a female judge.
“You must inform Madam Zeba Chaudhry that Imran Khan has come and want to apologise if any of his statements have hurt her,” he told the judge’s reader.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) adjourned contempt proceedings against Imran on September 22 after he promised to apologies to Chaudhry.
The court noted in its written order that Imran Khan admitted he “may have exceeded a red line.”
In response to the news, PTI leader and former information minister Fawad Chaudhry stated that issuing an arrest warrant against Imran Khan in such a weak evidence was a risky step.
“A media spectacle has been produced by bailable clauses and an unnecessary case,” he tweeted.
“The Islamabad High Court has resolved this matter,” he continued.
Asad Umar, secretary general of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, urged the government should not “make the error of arresting Imran Khan.”
“You will regret it” he warned.
According to the ICT Police, an arrest warrant is a judicial procedure.
According to the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police, the “arrest warrant is a lawful procedure.”
The ICT spokesman stated in a statement that the “arrest warrant has been issued to guarantee his [Imran Khan] attendance in court,” adding that the PTI chairman did not appear in court during his last summons.
The announcement read, “The Honourable Supreme Court has granted an order to strike out the part of terrorism from case number 407/22.”
“Following this judgement, the matter was transferred to the Sessions Court,” the statement said, adding that “Imran Khan is yet to get bail from the Sessions Court.”
“He may be arrested if he does not appear,” the statement said.
“People are requested not to believe rumours,” it stated.
