Toshakhana Case: Imran Khan departs for Islamabad, to appear in court today

Lahore [Pakistan], March 18 (ANI): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan who is set to appear before court today in Toshakhana Case has departed for Islamabad from his Zmanan Park residence in Lahore, Geo News reported. The region has been placed under heavy security in advance of Imran Khan’s visit to Islamabad’s Judiciary Complex in order to maintain peace and order and prevent anything unpleasant from happening.

On Friday the Pakistan government shifted the Toshakhana case hearing venue from the additional sessions court to a comparatively safer Judicial Complex over security concerns of Imran Khan, Pakistan-based Dawn newspaper reported.
Last month, the security protocols were broken when Khan visited the courthouse last month because PTI members took down all barricades during their party leader’s appearances in several courts. On that particular occasion, several of the employees vandalised the structure and disturbed the courtroom’s decorum.

Khan will appear before Additional Session Judge Zafar Iqbal in the case after he issued the former prime minister’s non-bailable arrest warrants after he had frequently skipped court dates, alleging “security threats” from his attorney.
On March 14, when the Islamabad police travelled to Lahore to arrest Khan in accordance with the court’s instructions, they encountered resistance; as a result, more than 60 police officers from Islamabad and Punjab were hurt, and several PTI workers were also hurt, Geo News reported.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan also received protective bail in nine cases by the two-member bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) led by Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh.
The protective bail was approved for five cases in Islamabad and three cases in Lahore. Imran Khan secured bail in the cases filed in Lahore till March 27, whereas, the protective bail in five cases in Islamabad was approved till March 24.