ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court has reserved its decision on a petition filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) challenging the lower court’s order to uphold the arrest warrant of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case.
The verdict will be announced soon.
A day ago, Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal rejected the request to suspend the warrant issued last month in the Toshakhana case due to his continued absence in the hearings of the case.
PTI Chairman’s lawyer Advocate Ali Bukhari also requested the court to fix the case for hearing today, which was accepted. The IHC resumed hearing the case after accepting the PTI chairman’s counsel’s plea for an urgent hearing.
In the petition, PTI’s lawyers have argued that the impugned orders are contrary to facts and law and have been passed ignoring the settled proposition that each case has to be looked at on its specific circumstances.
It also stated that the liberty of the petitioner has been damaged due to these orders.
“The Hon’ble Supreme Court through several recent judgments has interpreted the law in favor of the accused and adopted modern techniques as per the circumstances of the case and therefore passed illegal orders ignoring the amendment of the law,” the petition said. have been released.”
It added that “it is also a settled law that the High Courts are higher in the hierarchy of decision-making, have priority to appear and the petitioner follows the same legally and morally”.
“That the intention of the petitioner to appear in all the courts of Islamabad can be gathered from the precedent set by the petitioner, however, due to unavoidable circumstances, he could not appear in this honorable court and the prescribed circumstances were not actually present. The petitioner was in control rather it was to increase the respect of the judiciary by appearing before higher forums.
Imran Khan’s lawyers further said that as a result of the Wazirabad attack, the PTI chief is facing serious health problems and his medical consultants are constantly preventing him from any kind of travel.
“Besides the circumstances and circumstances of the attendance clearly indicate the magnitude of the threat to Khan’s life which, among other serious circumstances, impedes his appearance as a whole, the Court has held that this Hon’ble Court unlawfully seeks to set aside the orders.”
He also highlighted that the non-appearance was not deliberate.
“In the circumstances, it is respectfully prayed that the impugned orders dated 28th February and 06th March may be kindly set aside to allow the petitioner to appear before the learned trial court and defend himself in the best interest of justice. can be given a fair chance to do so.”
Imran Khan excused himself from Toshakhana’s hearing
Despite the court’s instructions to appear again and again, the PTI chairman did not hear Toshakhana again today, after which Additional District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal expressed his indignation at the behavior of Imran Khan.
At the start of today’s hearing, Sardar Masroof Khan, junior lawyer of Imran Khan’s legal team, appeared in the court, while Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) lawyer Saad Hassan appeared in court. . Also in attendance.
Judge Zafar Iqbal inquired whether Imran Khan will appear in court today or not, the lawyer expressed ignorance and said that PTI chairman’s senior legal team will appear in court at 10 am. After which the court adjourned the hearing till 10 am.
When the hearing resumed, ECP’s counsel Hasan requested the court to adjourn the hearing till March 9 as Khan is present at the IHC.
Ranjha supported the plea of the lawyer and said that the PTI chief will definitely appear in the High Court on March 9.
However, Khan’s lawyer maintained that he was informed that it would be easy for the former prime minister to appear in court next week.
On this, the judge remarked that in other words, this means that Khan will not appear in the sessions court on March 9.
The judge directed Khan’s lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat to file an affidavit. On this, the lawyer assured the court to submit the document by 11 am.
The judge remarked that it seems Imran Khan will not appear in court again today.
Later, the court adjourned the hearing till 2 pm on the request of Khan’s lawyer.
