ISLAMABAD: The special court hearing the cypher case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and PTI vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi reserved its verdict on the prosecution’s plea to waive the right of defence of conducting cross-examination of witnesses.
Special Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain while hearing the case at Adiala jail reserved its verdict on the prosecution’s request to waive of defence right regarding cross examination of the witnesses as well as defence counsel’s request to adjourn the hearing.
PTI founder’s counsel Qamar Anyat Raja and Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry as well as Rizwan Abbasi and Zulfiqar Naqvi appeared before the court.
At the start of the hearing, the court inquired about the lead counsel of the PTI. To which Qamar Anayat Raja replied that his lead counsel Sikandar Zulqarnain had dental surgery due to which he is unable to appear before the court. He filed an application before the court seeking to adjourn the hearing of the case.
The prosecutor told the court that “if the defence counsels did not come to court on a daily basis and avail adjournment then what wrong we did for which we are being punished that we reach court every morning.”
He said some witnesses had arrived from Dubai to Pakistan for cross-examination and appeared before the court daily. “They are filing another application today for adjournment of the hearing,” he said, adding that no one knew when senior counsel would appear before the court.
Naqvi said that defence counsel shy away from cross-examination and were using delaying tactics.
The associate of the lead defence counsel said that Sikandar Zulqarnain had dental surgery. Objecting to the prosecutor’s arguments, he said that “we are not deliberately requesting for adjournment.”
The judge said that “you have been granted adjournment three times earlier. All witnesses are government officials and some have come from Dubai for cross-examination,” the judge said.
“As a judge, I am sitting here since 9:00 am, now it is enough, the accused can cross-examine themselves,” the judge said.
He said the accused had requested to grant them time for meeting with the legal team and family members. Defence counsel pleaded for granting cross-examination the court approved both requests, the judge said.
The judge told the defence counsel that “now you want a long date, on which ground we grant you a long date. Defence counsel daily reach late to the courtroom,” he said.
The prosecutor said the court had earlier mentioned in its judgment that defence counsels are avoiding cross-examination of witnesses.
The cross-examination of witnesses should have started on January 16, he said, adding one of the witnesses had been from UAE for cross-examination and defence counsels had not come from Lahore/Islamabad.
He requested the court to waive the right of cross-examination of witnesses by the defence counsels.
The judge directed the associate of the PTI founder’s lead counsel to call his lead counsel till 12pm; otherwise, the court would proceed ahead as per law and take a sort of break.
Prosecutor Abbasi told the court after the break that the defence side was deliberately delaying the trial, therefore, the court decide as per law.
The court reserved its verdict on the prosecution’s request to waive the right of cross-examination of witnesses as well as the defence counsel’s request to adjourn the hearing till today (Saturday).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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