Toshakhana case: Pakistani court revokes arrest warrant amid clashes between Imran Khan supporters and police

Islamabad, March 18: On Saturday, a Pakistani judge canceled an arrest warrant for former prime minister Imran Khan in the Toshakana corruption case and sent him home without charges.

Khan arrived from Lahore at the Islamabad Judiciary Complex to attend additional district and session courts to attend proceedings on a complaint filed by the Pakistan Election Commission for allegedly concealing gift details on his asset declaration. Appeared in the Court of Officer Zafar Iqbal.

After waiting hours for the 70-year-old Pakistan Terek Einsakh party (PTI) leader to arrive in court, Judge Iqbal responded to his lawyer’s suggestion to get the former prime minister’s signature on the December 2015 attendance sheet. Agreed. his car to comply with the court summons. Imran Khan Unharmed Prime Minister’s convoy crashes while en route to Islamabad for hearings in Toshakana case in ex-Pakistani car (watch video).

A judge allowed Khan to return to Lahore after attending outside the Islamabad judicial complex where he was scheduled to be charged in the Toshakana case. “The hearings and appearances will not proceed as it is, so everyone who has gathered here must mark their attendance and then disperse. There will be no need for shelling or beatings, and the hearings cannot be held today.” quoted the judge. According to the Dawn paper.

Judge Iqbal also canceled an arrest warrant issued against Khan in the Toshakhana case and postponed a hearing until March 30.

People in the courtroom faced difficulties under the influence of tear gas, PTI Party Worker Stone throwing at the court complex. Senior PTI Leader Shah Mahmoud Qureshi confirmed to the media that all legal formalities regarding Khan’s appearance in court have been completed and he will be leaving the premises. Khan thus walked away without being charged in the case.

Khan had previously reached the court grounds, but his efforts to reach the court were hampered by a deteriorating law and order situation.

Khan had warned in a video message that he anticipated attempts to arrest him.

“A day has passed without a catastrophe in Pakistani life. […] Just in time. A big accident could have happened,” tweeted President Arif Alvi, who belongs to Khan’s party. Alvi called on all politicians to work together to free the country from its current problems.

Meanwhile, Mariam Nawaz, senior vice president of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz, quipped that Khan was “a jackal who refuses to get out of his car because he’s afraid of being arrested.”

Earlier, clashes broke out between security forces and Khan’s supporters outside the judicial complex before appearing in court. Islamabad Police Chief Akbar Nasir Khan told the media that Khan’s supporters resorted to violence, throwing stones at police and setting fire to police pickets.

“Our unit is approaching the situation with patience,” he said, adding that Khan was only a five-minute drive to the court. Strict security measures were implemented outside the complex.

A large police force was sent to the area to ensure the safety of Khan, who survived an assassination attempt last November. Khan arrived in Islamabad from Lahore and appeared before the court. He was accompanied by his supporters in the convoy. At least three of his vehicles in a convoy also met with him on the M-2 highway near the Kalar Kahar area, but no casualties were reported.

He appeared at the Lahore High Court on Friday and assured Judge Iqbal that he was ready to appear on Saturday before handling the corruption case against him.

Khan was at the docks to purchase gifts, including an expensive Graff watch. We receive it at a discounted price as a premium from a state depository called Toshakana and sell it for a profit.

Meanwhile, more than 10,000 armed Punjab police have launched a major operation at Khan’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore, hours after Khan left for Islamabad, killing his party’s labor force. He claimed to have arrested dozens of people and seized weapons and Molotov cocktails.

The police have launched a “big operation” at Khan’s Zaman Park residence here, dismantling all camps and removing barricades erected there by party activists to prevent his arrest in the Toshakana incident. . During the operation, 61 party workers were arrested and about 10 PTI workers and 3 police officers were injured.

Khan’s Lahore residence remained a battleground between his party officials and police and Rangers for two days earlier this week over an “arrest operation” for the incident. However, PTI workers were successful in thwarting an attempt to arrest him, and earlier this week the operation was halted by order of the Lahore High Court.

At a post-surgery press conference, Punjab Police Commissioner Dr Ousman Anwar said the LHC’s order and the PSL match had previously led police to halt operations at Zaman Park.

“However, the court did not stop us from taking action against those involved in the attacks on police. Today we launched operations at noon. But we managed to control the situation and arrested 61 workers,” he said. He said. Imran Khan of Pakistan: Committee to lead the party if I get arrested.

The IGP said 20 rifles and Molotov cocktails, including Kalashnikovs, were recovered from Khan’s residence. Several bunkers were also built in the Zaman park area, he said, adding that a lawsuit would be filed against Khan in this regard.

He said Khan’s home was raided after police obtained a search warrant.

The cricketer-turned-politician was disqualified last October by the Pakistan Electoral Commission (ECP) for failing to share sales details. The Electoral Commission later filed a complaint with the district court to punish him under criminal law for selling gifts he received as prime minister.

Khan was ousted from power after losing a no-confidence vote last April, becoming the first Pakistani prime minister to be voted in parliament.

(This is an unedited article auto-generated from a syndicated news feed. LatestLY staff may not have changed or edited the content body)