ISLAMABAD: Hours after the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) formally informed the Islamabad police about its concerns over the security for party chairman Imran Khan, the government on Friday shifted the venue of the additional sessions court to a comparatively safer Judicial Complex for the hearing of the Toshakhana case against the former prime minister today (Saturday), Dawn has learnt.

The Chief Commissioner Office Islamabad issued a notification declaring Court No 1 Judicial Complex at G-11 as the venue for the hearing of the case filed by the district election commissioner against Mr Khan, terming it a “one-time dispensation”.

The move came after PTI Senator Shibli Faraz in his capacity as the staff officer for the party chairman met Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Akbar Nasir Khan and made a formal demand to shift the venue of the Additional Sessions Court West from F-8 due to security concerns.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan in his address on Thursday had cited security reasons for not appearing before the court in the past which resulted into the issuance of his arrest warrants.

In his speech, Mr Khan had referred to a suicide attack on the F-8 courts in 2007, claiming that he had serious threats to his life.

The police have chalked out a security plan under which they have decided to deploy personnel from Counter Terrorism Department, Anti-Riot Unit, Frontier Constabulary and Rangers around the Judicial Complex.

According to a police officer, over 1,000 personnel had been called to the capital from other districts for the security duties.

The roads adjacent to the Judicial Complex will be sealed by placing barbed wires and barricades, the officer said, adding that unauthorised people would not be allowed to enter the venue of the court hearing.

Talking to Dawn, Senator Shibli Faraz said that he had made the demand for the shifting of the venue as the party believed that the F-8 venue could be a “death trap” for Mr Khan.

Besides this, he said the police were also facing a challenge in arranging the security at the courts situated at F-8 Markaz.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2023