- A woman is also convicted in this case, and usually, women’s sentences are suspended: Barrister Salman Safdar
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday adjourned the hearing on the appeals filed by former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran and his wife, Bushra Bibi, seeking suspension of the sentence in the £190 million case.
A two-member IHC bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif, heard the case and adjourned the hearing following the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) special prosecutor’s request for additional time to prepare for the case.
NAB’s special prosecutor, Javed Arshad, who was appointed just a day earlier, requested four weeks to review the case records.
During the proceedings, Acting Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar addressed PTI’s lead counsel, Salman Safdar, saying, “Are you trying to put pressure on me by bringing so many lawyers with you?” To this, Salman Safdar responded, “In political cases, this is common. We will maintain decorum. A woman is also convicted in this case, and usually, women’s sentences are suspended. Please allow us to start presenting our arguments on Monday.”
The PTI lawyer further remarked, “If NAB has built a case, let’s play. We are ready.” The NAB prosecutor replied, “We will surely play, but I need four weeks to prepare, as I have never been part of this case before.”
The acting chief justice accepted the NAB prosecutor’s request and announced that the new hearing date would be mentioned in the written court order. Several key PTI leaders, including the PTI founder’s sisters, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Omar Ayub, and Shibli Faraz, were present in the courtroom during the hearing.
ATC again writes for jail trial or production of PTI founder
In related development, Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Tahir Abbas Sapra Thursday wrote a letter again for the jail trial or the production of the PTI founder in the cases registered against him and others over protests during Azadi march.
During the hearing, the PTI’s leader counsels, advocates–Sardar Muhammad Masroof Khan and Zahid Bashir Dar—appeared in the court.
The court noted that the response to the letter written for the presence or jail trial of the founder of PTI has not yet been received.
The court has written a letter again for the presence of the founder of PTI, while the court has adjourned the further hearing of the case until July 16.
A case has been registered against the founder of PTI and others in the Sangjani police station.
