Another non-bailable arrest warrant issued for Pakistan's former premier

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) – A Pakistani court on Wednesday issued another non-bailable arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Imran Khan for failing to appear in a case related to hurling threats at a judge, ordering the police to produce him at the next hearing on April 18.

An Islamabad district court granted the prosecution's plea to convert a bailable warrant for the former premier into a non-bailable warrant after he failed to appear before the court in the case for the second time, according to a court record.

Last week, the same court had converted Khan's non-bailable arrest warrant into a bailable warrant at the request of his attorney, assuring the judge that his client would appear in the next hearing on March 29.

Khan was booked in this case in August last year when he during a political rally in Islamabad allegedly hurled threats at the judge who granted physical remand of his close aide to the police.

Several non-bailable warrants for Khan have been issued by various courts in recent weeks, and the police attempted to arrest him twice but failed due to resistance from his supporters.

It is unclear whether the police will make another attempt to arrest the cricketer-turned-politician, who has been staying in his Zaman Park residence in the northeastern city of Lahore since narrowly escaping an assassination attempt in November last year while leading a "long march" to Islamabad.

Khan, the country's only premier who was ousted through a no-trust vote in Pakistan's 75-year checkered political history, is facing a slew of cases against him, ranging from terrorism to attempted murder and money laundering.

Most of the cases, which Khan dubs a "sham," were lodged after his ouster.

Khan, 70, blames his unceremonious ouster on a US-backed conspiracy, the allegation that the incumbent coalition government in Islamabad and Washington have repeatedly refuted.​​​​​​​