Imran Khan, founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Photo: Archive
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court on Friday heard review petitions filed by the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in a Rs 10 billion damages case related to the termination of his right of defence, with judges questioning the delay in filing a reply to the suit.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Ayesha Malik heard the review petitions. During the hearing, Justice Hashim Kakar commented that the court had repeatedly given time to the PTI founder to file a reply.
“The court had several times given time to the PTI founder to file a reply,” Justice Kakar observed, adding that the reply to the petition had been filed after four years. He asked whether even after such a delay, the court should not have issued a strict order.
During the hearing, the court was informed that Rashid Hafeez, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s lawyer, was currently in London. His assistant told the court he had requested the case be adjourned until next week.
Justice Malik said the court would hear the petitioner’s arguments for now and hear the other side in the next hearing. Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim noted that arguments must also be made keeping in mind the scope of review jurisdiction.
Representing the founder of PTI, lawyer Ali Zafar argued that the real issue was that the founder of PTI had been injured and hospitalized, but the Supreme Court’s decision did not give any opinion on the issue of injury.
The lawyer told the court that the civil court had directed the PTI founder to file an affidavit by November 8, 2022. However, an assassination attempt on the PTI founder took place on November 3, 2022.
He said the court had acknowledged during the hearings on November 8 and 17, 2022 that the PTI founder had been injured. However, on November 22, 2022, the court issued an order ending his right to defense. He argued that this was not a death penalty case in which the restoration of the right of defense would create problems. He further claimed that the lawyers were prevented from meeting the PTI founder at the hospital and added that it was not possible to take him out of the hospital to file an affidavit.
