Imran Khan gets non-bailable arrest warrant in Toshakhana case
2 min read . Updated: 28 Feb 2023, 07:26 PM IST
PremiumImran Khan was granted bail in two other cases, amid high drama outside the court premises where hundreds of his supporters converged in support of their leader
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was issued a non-bailable arrest warrant in the Toshakhana case by a Pakistani court on Tuesday. Khan, who is also the chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, is accused of buying gifts from the state depository at a discounted price, including an expensive wristwatch, and then selling them for a profit. He failed to appear before the court for the third time, leading to the issuance of the warrant. The court has adjourned the hearing until March 7.
Despite the warrant, Khan was granted bail in two other cases. He received interim bail in the prohibited funding case, which was filed against him and other PTI leaders. The Election Commission of Pakistan found the party guilty of concealing that it had received the money and disqualified Khan from office. He was also granted interim bail in the terrorism case, which was registered against him and senior PTI leaders for allegedly vandalizing state property in response to the Toshakhana case.
Khan's appearance in court attracted a large crowd of supporters, who gathered outside the court premises. The court proceedings were marred by high drama, with Khan's supporters converging to show their support for him.
Khan has been in the crosshairs for several cases, including the Toshakhana case, which has been postponed twice due to his absence. He has not attended any hearings since November last year, when he was injured in an assassination attempt at his rally in the Wazirabad area of Punjab. He was granted interim bail by a special court in Islamabad after being shot during the assassination attempt and has received extensions on his bail due to medical reasons.
Khan was ousted from power in April 2022 after losing a no-confidence vote in his leadership. He alleged that the vote was part of a US-led conspiracy targeting him because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China, and Afghanistan. As the only Pakistani Prime Minister to be ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament, Khan remains a controversial figure in Pakistani politics.