SKMT allegations case fixed for June 6

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday extended its order till June 6 to restrain the trial court from hearing a case against Defence Minister Khawaja Asif for making allegations of non-transparency, money laundering, and suspicious investments in the Shaukat Khanam Memorial Trust’s (SKMT) funds.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan, in 2012, had filed a defamation suit worth Rs10 billion against Asif for hurling accusations.

In his lawsuit, the former premier had referred to Asif’s press conference from August 1, 2012, in which he alleged that the PTI chief had lost a massive amount of funds donated to his cancer hospital in “real estate gambling”.

Khan termed the allegations “false and defamatory”.

On Thursday, the counsels of both the parties appeared before the IHC as Chief Justice Aamir Farooq heard the case.
The IHC had restrained the sessions court from further proceedings as it was hearing the case.

It accepted Asif lawyer’s plea requesting more time for arguments.

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The court extended its order to restrain the trial court from hearing the case against Asif till June 6.

Earlier, the court had issued notice to Asif.

Separately, the IHC approved the assistant commissioner’s request to submit additional documents in the judicial complex case.

The hearing of the case was adjourned for an indefinite period.