Islamabad police likely to arrest Imran Khan today

Following the directives of Islamabad courts to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, sources said the Islamabad police will visit Zaman Park in the next 24 hours to arrest the former prime minister, reported Geo News.

Notably, a sessions court in Islamabad issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Khan in a case of threatening a female judge belonging to a court in the federal capital. Khan was booked in a case for threatening judicial magistrate Zeba Chaudhry and police officers at a rally in F-9 Park on August 20, to “terrorise” police officers and the judiciary, reported Geo News.

Earlier in the day, Civil Judge Rana Mujahid Rahim released the three-page reserved verdict and issued non-bailable arrest warrants over Khan’s repeated non-appearance.

The former prime minister, instead of attending the hearing, filed a plea for an exemption from physically appearing before the judge, requesting permission for joining the court proceedings virtually via video link, reported Geo News.

Desperate to put him behind bars, a police party from Islamabad earlier in the day flew by helicopter to Lahore to arrest the PTI chairman — who was ousted as the prime minister last year in April.

The sources told Geo News that several decisions were taken during a meeting between Islamabad and Lahore’s police officials — as the law enforcers came to the city for the second time to arrest Khan.

The meeting’s participants decided that the Islamabad police would be completely supported and it will be ensured that the capital’s cops reach Khan’s Zaman Park residence with no hindrances, sources said.
“Before Islamabad police leave for Zaman Park, they will contact Khan’s chief security officer,” the sources added.

Two courts have issued Khan’s non-bailable arrest warrants in separate cases, however, he has not appeared before them repeatedly — and instead, held a rally in Lahore, where he also announced to hold a “historic” rally this Sunday.

In connection with the Toshakhana case, the capital police had arrived on March 5 as well in Lahore, but they were told that Khan was not at his Zaman Park residence, resulting in them leaving empty-handed, reported Geo News.

A district and sessions court earlier in the day also restored the former prime minister’s non-bailable arrest warrant in the Toshakhana case.

The Islamabad court had earlier reserved its verdict on a petition filed by the former prime minister seeking an exemption from the hearing of the case.

Last week, the IHC suspended the non-bailable arrest warrant for Khan issued by the local court issued due to the PTI chief’s continuous absence.