Daily Times

The Islamabad police on Saturday denied “rumours” of sending a police force to Bani Gala after an arrest warrant was issued for PTI Chairman Imran Khan in connection with his controversial remarks against Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Zeba Chaudhry and other officials at an August 20 public rally. The police said that rumours were being spread of a 300-member force being sent to Bani Gala.

“There is no truth in this news and it is baseless,” the Islamabad police said soon after PTI supporters started to congregate at Banigala in anticipation of any police action. It requested citizens to not “listen to propaganda”. Imran’s arrest warrant dated September 30 was issued by Senior Civil Judge Rana Mujahid Rahim. Islamabad police subsequently issued a statement, explaining the reasons for the warrant which it said was a “legal process”. The police said that after the Islamabad High Court struck down terror charges from a case registered against Imran for his remarks, the case was transferred to a sessions court and the PTI chief had not obtained his bail from there. The police said he had also not attended the last court hearing on the matter and the arrest warrant was thus issued to ensure his presence. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said Imran’s arrest warrant was routine and bailable. “It is [for] a bailable crime.