A BHC issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Khan in a hate speech case involving inciting the public against state institutions.
The suspension occurs as a Quetta police team arrives in Lahore to arrest the PTI chairman in accordance with a court order.
Following a case filed at the Bijli Ghar police station, the Quetta judicial magistrate issued an arrest warrant without bail for the PTI chief. Imran Khan was charged with defaming national institutions. On the basis of a citizen’s complaint, the Balochistan police opened a case against the PTI chairman, Abdul Khalil Karak.
Justice Zaheer-Ud-Din Kakar of the BHC heard the plea filed by Iqbal Shah of the Insaf Lawyers Forum (ISF) on behalf of the PTI chief.
The defence argued that the offence was not committed within the jurisdiction of Bijli Police Station, where the case had been filed, and requested that the FIR be dismissed.
In addition to suspending the warrant, Justice Kakar issued summonses to the Balochistan police chief, the SP legal, and the station house officer at the Bijli Police Station. The hearing was then adjourned for two weeks, reported Geo News.
In a case registered against him under multiple sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, a local court in Quetta issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for the PTI chief the day before (PECA).
The judicial magistrate issued the arrest warrant and ordered authorities to bring the former prime minister before the court.
In the speech on Sunday, the PTI chief had come down hard on the “state institutions” after a team of Islamabad police had arrived at his Zaman Park residence to arrest him in the Toshakhana case.
The deposed prime minister, who was removed from office in April of last year, vented his rage while addressing party workers and supporters who participated in the “Jail Bharo Tehreek” at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore (voluntary arrest movement).
In his fiery speech, the PTI chairman said that he had neither kneeled before any institution or person nor would let the nation do so.
Imran Khan is the subject of 37 cases filed against him in various parts of the country.
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This includes litigation, police and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) cases, as well as Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) proceedings against the PTI leader.