BHC suspends Imran’s warrants in hate-speech case

Justice Kakar provides relief to PTI chief for two weeks

QUETTA:

The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Friday suspended the non-bailable arrest warrants issued against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan for two weeks in a case linked to delivering hate speech against state institutions.

Justice Zaheeruddin Kakar heard the plea filed by the former premier. Justice Kakar issued a notice to the concerned parties, directing lawyers to present the affidavit on the next hearing.

Imran had approached the BHC regarding the first information report (FIR) registered against him in Quetta.

It was argued in the petition that the “case against the PTI chairman has been registered illegally”, requesting the court to “dismiss the case filed at the Bijli Road police station of the provincial capital”.

The legal team of the ousted premier and provincial PTI President Qasim Khan Suri were also present on the occasion of the submission of the request to dismiss the case against the party chairman.

Earlier this week, an FIR was registered against Imran on a complaint of a citizen, accusing him of using hate speech against state institutions.

The FIR was lodged against Imran on the complaint of Khalil Kakar, a resident of Nawa Killi. It was also reported that the Balochistan police had left for Lahore to arrest the deposed prime minister.

There had been similar FIRs registered against PTI leaders Azam Swati and Shahbaz Gill on allegations of using foul language against state institutions. However, those cases were later quashed by the high court.

On March 5, a team of Islamabad police had also gone to Lahore to arrest Imran with court orders, but the PTI chief had evaded being arrested.

Later, Imran had approached a district and sessions court for the cancellation of the arrest warrants. However, the sessions court judge had rejected his request and upheld the warrants.

The Islamabad High Court had later given temporary relief to the PTI chief by suspending the non-bailable arrest warrants issued against him by a district and sessions court in the Toshakhana (gift repository) reference till March 13.