Petitioner ‘must prove’ Imran’s paternity to Tyrian

District court issues non-bailable arrest warrants for Imran in another case

ISLAMABAD/ LAHORE:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) asked Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday to “simply accept or deny having a daughter”, as it took up a petition about concealing his alleged daughter Tyrian White in his nomination papers.

A larger IHC bench, led by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and including Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Arbab Tahir, heard the disqualification plea against the PTI chairman.

At the start of the hearing, Chief Justice Farooq stated that everyone was entitled to privacy but this case was being heard in the court because of a legal issue. “Say whatever you have to say in 'yes' or 'no',” he said.

Addressing Imran's lawyers, the chief justice said: “This is a two-minute case...either you admit or deny and the hearing will come to an end”. He added: “If you deny, the petition will be dismissed for now and in the next election, someone will bring this issue again.”

Imran’s lawyer, Salman Akram Raja, did not appear in the court. His assistant counsel said that the petitioner has requested to amend his petition. “We object to his request and need time to reply in writing”.

The petitioner's counsel submitted a copy of an affidavit. However, Justice Kayani said that the affidavit did not mention of Imran being the father. “This is a foreign document and an ex-parte order. This document cannot be stated to be complete,” he added.

Further, Justice Kayani said, the petitioner must prove Imran's recognition of his daughter. “Even if the daughter had said that he was her father, this was not binding on Imran Khan,” he added.

“The petitioner has to clearly show Imran's paternity to Tyrian,” he continued. “First you need to prove that this girl is Imran Khan's daughter. Then the issue of Article 62(i)(f) will come,” he added. The court adjourned the hearing till next Monday.

Meanwhile, the district and sessions court issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Imran in a case pertaining to his threatening remarks against Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry.

Judge Rana Mujahid Rahim rejected Imran’s request for exemption from personal appearance because of security concerns. The court warned that arrest warrants would be issued if Imran did not appear in court within the working hours.

The judge instructed the police to arrest the former prime minister and present him before the court by March 29. The judge added that the court would hear arguments on the petition for Imran's dismissal from the case on the next hearing.

Separately, Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal also rejected Imran request of exemption from appearance and restored his non-bailable arrest warrant in the Toshakhana criminal proceedings case.

At the outset of the proceedings, Imran’s lawyer, Khawaja Haris informed the court that his client has decided not to appear in the court due to “security threats”. He also requested the court to first decide on admissibility of the case.

Commenting on these developments, senior PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that the issuance of arrest warrants in the case about threatening remarks against Judge Zeba Chaudhry would be challenged in the district court.

He also said that the judge had not yet issued any written order in the Toshakhana case and as soon as the written ruling came, the matter would also be challenged in the IHC. “At present, Imran Khan is not wanted in any case,” Chaudhry added.

In Lahore, the high court accepted a request of the PTI chief’s lawyer for consulting the former prime minister on whether or not Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Bilal Siddique Kamyana was acceptable as the focal person for his security.

Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh heard of a petition, seeking “foolproof security for Imran and permission to mark his attendance into court’s proceedings through video link”. Justice Sheikh set next hearing of case on March 15.

Also, police booked PTI chief Imran and other party leaders, including Fawad Chaudhry, Farukh Habib, Yaseem Rashid, Raja Shakeel and others for “hiding facts” regarding the death of the Ali Bilal alias Zil-e-Shah.

Bilal died during violence in Lahore last week. The PTI had claimed that he was killed because of police torture. However, the police denied the claim. They said that he died in an accident.

The case against the PTI leaders was registered at Sarwar Road Police Station on the complaint of Inspector Adnan Bukhari. The case based on the statement of Jahanzeb Nawaz, the suspected driver of the vehicle that had reportedly hit Ali near Fortress.