Daily Times

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Wednesday moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to permit him to appear before the courts through video-link due to “security threats”.

In a petition filed through advocate Faisal Chaudhry, the former premier – who currently faces charges in the Toshakhana (gift depository) case – requested presence at the hearing through video call because of security concerns. He furthered that court proceedings were also stalled owing to security reasons.

The petition stated that Imran should be given “strict security” if he is to appear in courts in the federal capital. Imran suggested that all hearings should be conducted in the judicial complex and said that the police be ordered to provide “full security” during his court appearances.

It is pertinent to note that the trial court hearing the Toshakhana reference is in F8, which is half an hour away from the judicial complex. The petition added that orders should also be given to provide security on the motorway highway. Imran, who suffered injuries during an assassination attempt last year in Wazirabad, has continuously refrained from appearing before the district and sessions court in the Toshakhana case against him, citing security threats. He faces charges of concealing the details of the gifts he had retained from the Toshakhana in his assets declarations. A day earlier, the IHC gave temporary relief to the ousted prime minister and suspended the non-bailable arrest warrants against him issued by the trial court in the Toshakhana reference by March 13.

The IHC also directed Imran to appear before the district and sessions court on the same day.