ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court, on Thursday, approved the exemption plea of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case and adjourned hearing of the case till today (Friday) as the Islamabad High Court (IHC) reserved its judgment over the PTI chief’s applications.
Additional Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar, while hearing the case, adjourned the hearing of the case till Friday as the IHC reserved its judgment over the pleas of the PTI chairman relevant to this case. At the start of the hearing, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) counsel Saad Hassan informed the court that his lead counsel Amjad Pervez is in the IHC for submitting his argument over the PTI chief’s different application.
The judge asked him are you not a counsel. I am a counsel but that is our collective decision that Amjad Pervez will make the final argument, Hassan replied. The court took a break till 12:00 am till the arrival of Amjad Pervez advocate.
The associate of PTI chief Khawaja Haris also told the court that his lead counsel is busy in the IHC and he may arrive here at around 12:30 am. The judge remarked that make the final argument till 12:00 am, otherwise, he will reserve judgment.
PTI chief associate Amana Ali informed the court after the break that the IHC has granted time till 3:00 pm for the hearing of PTI chief’s plea, in which, he challenged the session courts yesterday’s order and requested the court to wait till 3:30 pm. She also filed an application seeking a one-day exemption from personal appearance before the court which the court approved and took another break.
After the break, Amjad Pervez resumed final arguments. He read out the affidavit submitted by the PTI chief. The member of PTI chief’s legal team Niazullah Niazi, while objecting to the arguments, said that arguments have been started in the court despite a commitment with Khawaja Haris.
Pervez said that no commitment has been made with Haris and he will start his arguments. Niazullah Niazi said that the IHC has fixed hearing of the PTI chief’s plea at 3:30 pm and his lead counsel Haris will come. How the ECP’s counsel is presenting his arguments in the absence of Haris, he asked. He requested the court to adjourn the hearing till 3:30 pm.
However, the court directed Amjad Pervez to continue his arguments. Pervez, while arguing before the court, read out the assets detail of the PTI chief. No vehicle or ornaments has been declared in the assets details of the PTI chief and his wife Bushra Bibi, he said, adding that the total price of the PTI chief’s 300 marla house and other assets written as Rs500,000.
Later, during the hearing, the judge called PTI chief’s counsel Amana Ali and asked her what is the update from the IHC. She informed the court that arguments over PTI chief’s application has been completed and the IHC has reserved the verdict. The court adjourned the hearing of the case till today (Friday).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023