Judge threat case: Islamabad court converts Imran's non-bailable arrest warrants into bailable again.

An Islamabad district and sessions court on Friday converted former prime minister Imran Khan's non-bailable arrest warrants in a case related to alleged threats made to a judge into a bailable warrant till April 18.

On March 13, a non-bailable arrest warrant was issued for the PTI chairman after he failed to appear in court in the same case. The next day an Islamabad district and sessions court suspended the same warrant.

On March 24, another Islamabad lower court converted the non-bailable arrest warrant into a bailable warrant. It had also dismissed the former premier's plea to extend the suspension of the said arrest warrant. Subsequently, on March 29 an Islamabad court issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Imran in the case as he failed to appear before the court.

Additional Sessions Judge Sikandar Khan converted the non-bailable arrest warrants into bailable ones while hearing a review petition today against the issuance of the non-bailable arrest warrants.

He also ordered the PTI chairman to furnish surety bonds worth Rs20,000.

Imran was represented by lawyer Zakarya Arif. Sub-Inspector Sagheer Ali appeared before the court with the case record instead of Margalla Police Station's investigation officer.

Prosecutor Adnan Ali was unable to appear before the court because he was busy in an Anti-Terrorism Court.

The hearing

At the hearing's outset, Imran's lawyer contended that his client's senior counsel could not appear in court because he was being treated in the hospital for his heart disease. 'The hearing should be adjourned till Tuesday,' Arif appealed.

The court directed any senior counsel of Imran to appear in person.

Subsequently, the court took a break till 10:30 am. When the hearing resumed, the prosecutor's junior lawyer and PTI chief's junior counsel Qamar Inayat appeared in court.

The government's junior lawyer informed the court that the public prosecutor in the case was Rizwan Abbasi but he was busy in the Supreme Court. 'Prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi is coming,' he said, adding that 'there should be a break in the hearing till 11:30am.'

At this, the judge said Imran's power of attorney had the names of Qaiser Imam and Ali Bukhari. To which, Imran's junior counsel again told the court that Ali Bukhari was in the hospital and urged the court to adjourn the hearing till Tuesday.

'Imran's power of attorney also includes the name of Qaiser Imam. Where is he?' the judge said. 'Then we should restore the warrants again if no...

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