Islamabad court cancels Zartaj Gul's arrest warrant

• Civil Judge Mubashir Hassan withdraws warrant.
• Gul faces case registered at Bara Kahu police station.
• PTI founder, Qureshi already acquitted in same case.

ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Wednesday revoked a non-bailable arrest warrant issued against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Zartaj Gul.

Civil Judge Mubashir Hassan had issued her warrant in a case registered at the Barakahu police station after the former state minister repeatedly failed to appear before the court.

The court, while issuing the warrant, said that Gul had been given several opportunities to present herself but did not comply with the orders.

Following her appearance before the court two hours after the warrant was issued, the judge said: "I am cancelling her warrant as she is here in person."

The court then adjourned the proceedings till March 12.

The case pertains to charges filed against Gul and other PTI leaders in which the party's founder Imran Khan and senior leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi have already been acquitted in the same case relating to the party's 2022 long march towards Islamabad.

The former ruling party's protest back then came after the Khan-led PTI government was ousted via a vote of no confidence prompting the party to take to the streets.

In May 2022, the PTI held the much-touted "Azadi March" in Islamabad during which scuffles broke out in different parts of the country, leading to the arrest of a few PTI leaders.

Police also resorted to tear gas shelling to disperse PTI workers on their way to Islamabad when they broke through the roadblock at Lahore’s Batti Chowk.

Workers, who succeeded in reaching the capital entered the off-limits Red Zone, clashed with law enforcers and injured multiple Rangers, police, and FC personnel, according to the Islamabad Police spokesperson.

Khan ended the protest on May 26 by giving the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government a six-day ultimatum to dissolve the assemblies and announce an election.

Later that same year, the party launched a second long march from Lahore to the federal capital demanding early elections. However, it was interrupted after the former premier was shot and injured after gunfire rang out at a protest rally in Wazirabad.

PTI leaders, ever since Khan's ouster and May 9 riots, have been facing a plethora of cases owing to their alleged involvement in vandalism as well as various protests which saw party workers clashing with the law enforcers.

Khan, along with senior leaders Qureshi, Dr Yasim Rashid and others remain behind bars owing to their persisting legal woes.