Toshakhana: IHC seeks arguments on Imran’s plea on Thursday

ISLAMBAD:

A division bench of the Islamabad High Court sought arguments on Thursday on a plea from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman, Imran Khan for suspension of his sentence in Toshakhana case.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, issued notices on plea related to facilities to the PTI chairman in the Attock District Jail.

The PTI chairman’s lawyer, Khawaja Haris did not appear in the court. However, he was represented by other lawyers including Latif Khosa, Babar Awan, Sher Afzal Marwat and Barrister Gohar Ali.

Khosa told the court the report of Attock district and sessions judge’s visit to the district jail had come out, which revealed that a camera had been installed in front of PTI chairman’s barrack.

Marwat complained that the lawyers were not being allowed to meet the PTI chairman. However, Chief Justice Farooq remarked that it was beyond comprehension as to why such a meeting was prevented.

He reminded that he had ordered that the lawyers should go to jail to meet Imran but they should not make a rush. Awan replied that despite the court order, the jail administration was not allowing the lawyers to meet Imran.

Read also: SC fixes Imran’s appeals in Toshakhana case for hearing on Aug 23

The chief justice remarked that he was issuing notice on the PTI chief’s request regarding facilities in the jail. On the occasion, Amjad Parvaiz, the lawyer for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), sought time to prepare.

The chief justice asked the ECP lawyer about court notice and the provision of record to the court. The lawyer replied that he had not received the certified record of the case and sought two weeks' time make his submissions.

PTI’s Latif Khosa opposed the request for time, saying that the PTI chairman was in jail and his fundamental rights were being violated. He added that notices had already been issued in this case, while his client was in jail without any facilities.

He requested the court to suspend the sentence awarded to Imran on Tuesday. He also said that the trial court sentenced him in his absence, adding that his conviction in the Toshakhana case was illegal.

Furthermore, Khosa argued that the sessions court of Islamabad had no jurisdiction to hear the case against Imran, while the ECP secretary was not authorised to file complaint against the PTI chief.

The lawyer insisted that this court should release the PTI chairman on bail immediately, adding that delaying tactics were being used in the case. However, the court adjourned the hearing till August 24.

Read: IHC fixes Aug 22 to hear Imran’s appeal

Separately, an anti-terrorism (ATC) court summoned the PTI chairman on different dates in five different cases registered against him under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

ATC Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain heard the cases. Advocate John Muhammad told the court it was not easy to bring the PTI Chairman from jail to court every day.

The judge agreed that it was not appropriate to bring the accused from jail, but stressed that the attendance of the accused in the cases should be marked. On that the lawyer demanded the one date should be fixed for that purpose.

The judge said that the PTI chairman would have to come to the court, adding that since the number of co-accused in these cases was high, therefore, it would be difficult to mark attendance separately and the cases could be clubbed later.

The court issued summons in two cases registered against the PTI chairman in Ramna police station, on September 25; in the case registered at Golra police station on October 5; while in Counter-Terror Department (CTD) and Sangjani police stations on October 12.