'Temporary relief' for Imran Khan as BHC suspends arrest warrants for two weeks

A non-bailable arrest warrants was issued against Khan by a local court in hate speech case pertaining to inciting public against state institutions.

In a temporary relief to former Prime Minister of Pakistan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Friday suspended his arrest warrant for two weeks issued by a local court in a case registered against him in Quetta, reported Geo News. A non-bailable arrest warrants was issued against Khan by a local court in hate speech case pertaining to inciting public against state institutions.

The suspension comes amid the arrival of a Quetta police team in Lahore to arrest the PTI chairman as per a court order, reported Geo News. The Quetta judicial magistrate issued non-bailable arrest warrant for the PTI chief following a case registered at the Bijli Ghar police station. The case was filed against Imran Khan for maligning the national institutions. The Balochistan police registered a case against the PTI chairman on the complaint of a citizen - named 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, reported Geo News. The plea maintained that the offence wasn't committed in the jurisdiction of Bijli Police Station where the case had been registered and requested the court to dismiss the FIR.

Justice Kakar, while suspending the warrant, also issued the summons for the Balochistan police chief, SP legal and the station house officer of the Bijli Police Station. The hearing was then adjourned for two weeks, reported Geo News. A day earlier, a local court in Quetta issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for the PTI chief in a case registered against him under multiple sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA).

The judicial magistrate issued the arrest warrant and directed authorities to present the former prime minister in 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 ousted from power in April last year -- vented his rage while addressing party workers and supporters at Zaman Park residence in Lahore who participated in the "Jail Bharo Tehreek" (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 facing a total of 37 cases filed against him in different parts of the country, reported The News International. These include litigation, police and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) cases and also proceedings launched by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the PTI chief. (ANI)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)