An Islamabad court where Imran Khan appeared on Saturday has decided to begin the indictment proceedings against him in the Toshakhana case on March 30. He has been told to appear in person before the court on the next hearing.
District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal has also canceled the arrest warrant for Khan.
However, the development comes with a twist. The court documents containing the record of Khan’s attendance have gone missing.
PTI leader Shibli Faraz is said to have “disappeared” with the legal documents.
SP Dr Samiullah, an Islamabad police officer, and lawyer Gohar Khan were tasked by the judge to record Imran Khan’s attendance when the PTI chief was present in his vehicle outside the Islamabad Judicial Complex. Khan failed to reach the courtroom as PTI supporters and policemen clashed outside the judicial complex.
Shibli Faraz led the SP and the lawyer to Khan who did not come out of his car due to security concerns.
However, when the police officer and lawyer Gohar Khan returned to the court they failed to produce the documents bearing Khan’s signatures before the judge.
Lawyer Gohar Khan said that after Imran Khan signed the document SP Samiullah collected the file from him.
The SP said told the court that amid tear gas shelling Shibli Faraz took the court documents from him and the PTI leader was nowhere to be found.
The police officer also said that he was severely injured in the leg, which had probably been fractured.
Khawaja Haris, who is representing Imran Khan in the case, said that the whole episode was “shameful.” This led to a heated exchange between Haris and Gohar.
Judge Zafar Iqbal warned that strict action will be taken against the persons responsible for misplacing the file and that the court will issue a judicial order.
The SP sought time to find the document.
The court document in question is key legal proof that Imran Khan appeared before the court. Any failure to find and submit the document to the court has wider implications.
The absence of the document creates a legal limbo about the status of Khan’s court appearance. Had he failed to appear on Saturday, his arrest warrant would have become active.
More importantly, it also means proceedings against him may stall. This is significant because the court is preparing to indict the PTI chief in the Toshakhana case.
The court will begin the indictment proceedings against Khan on March 30, Judge Zafar Iqbal said as he canceled the arrest warrant for Khan.
The judge has summoned Imran Khan for the next hearing in person. “It is a different thing what the situation will be on March 30,” the judge remarked.
The court document was still missing as of the filing of this report.
