Amid intense clashes, Pakistan court allows Imran Khan to go back after marking attendance in car

A Pakistan court on Saturday allowed the countryrsquos former Prime Minister Imran Khan to go back after getting his attendance marked in his car outside a judicial complex in the capital city Islamabad Pakistan media reportedOutside the court intense clashes broke out between police and Khanrsquos supporters Express Tribune reportedldquoThe situation as it is the hearing and appearance cannot proceed that is why all those who have gathered here should disperse after marking attendance There is no need for shelling or pelting of stones the hearing cannot be held todayrdquo the judge saidHe added that once the PTI chiefrsquos signatures were received then it could be later discussed at what date to hold Imranrsquos appearance again Dawn Newspaper reportedThe former prime ministers convoy faced several hurdles on its way from Lahore to Islamabad mdash from vehicles overturning to police and party workers clashing on several spots The News International reportedThe hurdles led to Khans delayed appearance before Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbals court where he was scheduled to reach at 330pm However the judge said that he would wait for the PTI chief to come and then start the hearing the report saidAmid the chaos Islamabad police arrested Khans Chief of Staff Shibli Faraz however released him minutes after the court directed the officials to present him before the courtThe police stopped PTI chairmans vehicle merely 100 metres from the gate of the judicial complex blaming party workers for blocking the route PTI said the law enforcers were restricting Imrans movementAlso readWe want to normalize relations with Islamabad Indiarsquos envoy to Pakistan at Lahore eventPolice earlier requested the PTI workers and media to clear the way so that the former prime minister can reach the court on timeThe venue of the hearing was changed to the G11 Judicial Complex instead of the F8 Katcheri due to security concerns raised by the former premier Judge Zafar Iqbal will preside over the hearingPTI Secretary General Asad Umar condemned the police for ldquopreventing Imran from going to courtrdquo He added that the former prime minister is near the court premises and claimed police was standing in the wayUmar also said that instead of allowing Imran to go to court the police started tear gas shelling ldquoThe worst brutality is being shown by the policeMeanwhile inside the courtroom the PTI chairmanrsquos counsel Khawaja Haris informed Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal that Imran has come to the gate but is being stopped from entering the premises the Express Tribune report saidJudge Iqbal inquired why was the PTI chief being barred from entering the premises The Election Commission of Pakistan ECP lawyer remarked that Imran should have been here as the court started at 830amJudge Iqbal maintained that the ousted premier is ldquofacing hardshiprdquo adding that the court should wait for himPTI lawyer Awan also prepared a new application on behalf of the party chief ldquoI am at the gate of the judicial complex and Irsquom being denied entryrdquo stated the applicationThe former premier requested the court to send its staff to mark his attendance and ldquoinitiate contempt of court proceedings against the policerdquoAfter a short recess Judge Iqbal directed court staff to take a police officer along and present Imran before the courtTo this PTI counsel requested the court to send PTI representatives with the court staff to which the judge agreedAfter a tedious back and forth between PTI supporters and police Imrans vehicle entered the judicial complex Scores of party workers also entered the premises and were subsequently baton charged by the policeJudge Iqbal directed a court representative to mark Imranrsquos attendance outside the court ldquoImran can go back once the attendance is markedrdquo stated the judgeComplying with the court orders court staff and Babar Awan left the courtroom to mark the PTI chiefrsquos attendanceHaris also informed the court that senior leader Shibli Faraz is being tortured by the police To this the judge stated that he wants to end the current unrest The court then made lawyer Haris sign on behalf of the former prime ministerImran appeared in court for the first time today after repeated summons for seven hearings A day earlier the Islamabad High Court suspended the nonbailable arrest warrants issued for the PTI chairman till today giving him the opportunity to voluntarily appear before the sessions courtImrans convoy earlier reached the Islamabad toll plaza with reports of the route being blockedIssuing a special statement while en route to Islamabad the PTI chairman said he ldquoknows that he will be arrested but is still making his way to the court because he believes rule of law