Lawyers believe cases related to civil liberties were not prioritized during CJP Yahya Afridi’s tenure
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court will settle the contempt matter related to non-implementation of a court order allowing meetings with PTI founder Imran Khan in accordance with the court’s new case fixing policy.
A senior Supreme Court official told The Express PAkGazette that the contempt plea for denying meetings with Khan, despite an Islamabad High Court order allowing them, would figure in the court’s new policy.
Earlier on May 20, PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja, a prominent advocate, called on Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi and urged the court to expedite the list of cases involving Imran Khan.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Raja said the Chief Justice had assured him that cases related to Khan would be scheduled for hearing soon after Eid.
In November last year, Raja filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the Islamabad High Court’s dismissal of his contempt petition for non-implementation of its March 24 order directing jail authorities to allow meetings between Khan and his family members and lawyers.
The contempt matter is known to be listed at number 60 in the Supreme Court’s docket, and the chief justice strictly follows the court’s fixation policy, under which contempt cases are heard in turn.
However, senior lawyers have expressed concern, pointing out that the matter is of considerable importance as far as the former prime minister is concerned, whose meetings with family and lawyers have been almost completely restricted since December.
On the other hand, the government claims that Imran Khan frequently meets his wife Bushra Bibi in Adiala jail.
Lawyers are of the view that cases affecting civil liberties are not given priority during the tenure of Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi.
Since the passage of the 26th Amendment, the PTI has struggled to obtain redress in the higher courts, and key petitions involving its jailed founder and senior leaders remain in limbo, deepening its legal and political uncertainty.
The party, whose founder and chief Imran Khan remains jailed, continues to turn to the judiciary for hearings of its cases, but progress has been slow, with petitions stuck in limbo in multiple forums.
Despite filing several petitions, the party could not get any relief from the Islamabad High Court.
Interestingly, even though dozens of important constitutional petitions are pending, the PTI is reluctant to approach the FCC.
After the meeting between Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi and Salman Akram Raja, the PTI had renewed its hopes in the Supreme Court, but those expectations have since been dashed.
Political analysts suggest that meetings with Imran Khan can only be restored if he avoids criticizing the security establishment during interactions with family members in custody.
