Will outstanding warrants spoil the dharna?

Many PTI, PAT leaders were charged by ATCs, but never arrested by police

ISLAMABAD: One significant difference between the 2014 and 2016 sit-ins is the fact that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairperson Imran Khan, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Chief Dr Tahirul Qadri, and many other senior leaders of the two parties would be entering the capital as “proclaimed offenders”.

Although the Islamabad High Court on Thursday turned down some petitioners’ request to issue fresh warrants for the arrest of Imran, noting that warrants have already been issued as an anti-terrorism court (ATC) had declared Imran, Qadri, Raheeq Ahmed Abbasi, Saifullah Niazi, Allama Nasir Abbas Jafri, Amir Mughal and several others as proclaimed offenders in several cases pending adjudication since 2014.



Though the courts have directed the police to produce the suspects, the police have yet to comply with these orders. In many high-profile cases when the police fail to arrest the suspects, they usually maintain before the court that a police party raided their residence, but the suspects were not present and could not be arrested.

In this case, judicial officers have repeatedly noted that the suspects were openly attending rallies and addressing public gatherings, including in the capital, yet the police claim they do not know where they are.

On Thursday, IHC’s Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui said that a trial court has already issued warrants, therefore, the law would take its course and “there is no need to pass any order”.

He subsequently ordered Imran to appear in person before the court on October 31 and explain which law allows him to make a statement “that Islamabad city shall be blocked and that the government would not be allowed to remain functional.”

Curiously, a day earlier on Wednesday Imran had addressed members of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) at the bar room inside the IHC.

Every time, lawyers at the high court said, the police come into action against ordinary party workers, but when it comes to the party bosses, they avoid arresting them.

Legal experts also said that leadership of other political parties, including the ruling party, were booked in many cases, but the difference was that they usually surrendered before the court and sought bail in such instances.



Meanwhile, PTI secretary information Naeemul Haq has reiterated that no bail application would be filed for Imran in connection with the earlier warrants. Haq said bail would be applied for when necessary.

While talking to The Express Tribune, advocate Inamul Rahiem said that a common man is arrested for almost no reason, but VIPs are always extended a margin. He added that if the courts and police can act against General (retired) Pervez Musharaf, then these suspects are no exception.

In his petition on sit-in issue, Rahiem has already stated that criminal cases under ATA laws were registered against Irman and his companions, while an ATC already has issued warrants and the police “intentionally” failed to make any arrests.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2016.