Court rejects application seeking Imran's arrest in contempt case

Lower court in Islamabad to resume hearing case on March 9

ISLAMABAD:

A district and sessions court in Islamabad rejected an application for issuing an arrest warrant against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Monday in a contempt of court case and accepted his request for leave.

Previously, the PTI chief had landed himself in legal trouble after making controversial remarks against Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry.

Although the Islamabad High Court had later said it had been satisfied by Imran's attempt to tender an apology to the judge and retracted its show-cause notice in October, Islamabad Civil and Sessions Senior Judge Rana Mujahid Rahim had later in December issued a notice to the PTI chief after police submitted their charge sheet in the case to the court.

Read 'Imported govt can never arrest me,' says Imran

During the proceedings today, Special Prosecutor Raja Rizwan Abbasi argued that the former premier's bail bonds should be suspended.

Meanwhile, Imran's counsel requested the court to excuse his absence on medical grounds saying "his health is not allowing him to travel to Islamabad" and he informed the court that the doctors have advised him to rest.

Abbasi however objected to the request and maintained that the medical report was prepared "in Imran's own hospital" -- that being the cancer hospital run by the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust (SKMT).

"Shaukat Khanum is a cancer hospital," he furthered, "while Imran Khan's issue is a completely different one. He has swelling due to a fracture".

"It is not as if Imran Khan has been asked to walk to the court," the special prosecutor retorted as he requested the court once again to suspend his bail bonds and issue his arrest warrants.

After the arguments were completed, the court announced that it had decided to accept Imran's application granting him leave of absence during Monday's (today) proceedings, while rejecting the request for issuing orders for his arrest.

The court was later adjourned until March 9.