Lahore court issues warrant for PTI's Shibli Faraz, summons Imran Khan in 2023 police clash case

Lahore [Pakistan], July 26 (ANI): A Lahore court on Friday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Senate opposition leader and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shibli Faraz and summoned the party founder Imran Khan in connection with a case involving an alleged attack on Islamabad Police outside Khan residence last year, Dawn reported.

The case pertains to an incident from March 2023, when the Islamabad Police registered a first information report (FIR) against Imran Khan, Shibli Faraz, and around 150 PTI workers.

The charges included harassing and issuing life threats to a police team that had visited Zaman Park in Lahore to arrest the former prime minister for skipping hearings in the Toshakhana case, Dawn stated.

According to the FIR lodged by Race Course police, Islamabad Secretariat Station House Officer (SHO) Nadeem Tahir alleged that Imran, with the connivance of Faraz and 150 charged party workers, committed a crime by dodging and barring the Islamabad police from discharging their duty.

Judicial Magistrate Sohail Rafique, who is presiding over the case, ordered the non-bailable arrest warrant for Faraz and also summoned the authorities at Adiala Jail to present Imran Khan in court on July 30, Dawn reported.

Citing Dawn, the Islamabad Police had initially decided to call off the operation after PTI leader Faraz informed them that Imran was not available at his residence.

However, Imran later addressed supporters from the same location, confirming his presence. The police then said that action would be taken against Senator Faraz for misrepresenting facts and obstructing lawful procedures.

Earlier this month, several PTI leaders received decade-long prison terms from anti-terrorism courts in Lahore and Sargodha in connection with the violence that followed the May 9, 2023, protests, Dawn noted.

Additionally, on Thursday, an Islamabad district and sessions court sentenced 13 PTI supporters to six months in jail over cases linked to the party Final Call protests in November last year. (ANI)

Disclaimer: This news article is a direct feed from ANI and has not been edited by the News Nation team. The news agency is solely responsible for its content.