Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan left from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore for Islamabad on Saturday to appear before a district and sessions court in the Toshakhana (gift depository) case.
The hearing will be held at the G-11 Judicial Complex instead of the F8 Court and Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal will preside over the hearing.
The PTI chief will appear in court for the first time after repeated summons for seven hearings.
The party’s official Twitter handle also tweeted the development and shared a video of the PTI chief’s convoy on the motorway making its way to Islamabad.
The former prime minister was also welcomed upon his arrival in Pindi Bhattiyan.
Strict security arrangements were made before Imran’s appearance where the former prime minister is expected to be indicted.
According to reports, 4,000 personnel and officers of Islamabad Capital Police, FC and Punjab Police will be deployed on security duty during the case hearing in the judicial complex.
Moreover, the judicial complex was completely cordoned off with containers placed around its perimeter.
The ousted premier’s lawyer Babar Awan and part member Shibli Faraz were barred from entering the judicial complex.
It was reported that only three PTI lawyers and five leaders will be allowed to enter the premises and four prosecution lawyers will be allowed to enter the judicial complex.
Moreover, media will not be allowed on the premises.
The arrest warrant of the former prime minister was issued for the first time on February 28 and the second time on March 13.
A day earlier, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended Imran’s non-bailable arrest warrants in the Toshakhana criminal proceedings case.
IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the application filed by Imran against the arrest warrant issued by a session court. The hearing started after the former prime minister’s biometrics were conducted in Lahore.
IHC also stated that the ousted prime minister should appear within the court hours tomorrow, adding that if he does not appear, contempt of court proceedings will be initiated.
During the proceedings of the case earlier on Thursday, the judge had offered Imran that he would halt attempts by the Islamabad police to arrest him at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore if he surrendered before the court.
The offer came as skirmishes broke out between the Islamabad police and PTI activists when the former reached Imran’s residence.
Both sides battled for two days, with other law enforcement agencies joining the Islamabad police. Calm only returned after judicial intervention.
