Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has resumed hearing on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s plea seeking suspension of sentence by the trial court’ in Toshakhana case.
A two-member bench of the IHC comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri is hearing the case.
During the last hearing, the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) law officer informed the court that Advocate Amjad Pervaiz, who is representing the electoral body in the case, could not appear in the court due to being “extremely unwell”.
At this, CJ Aamer Farooq said that request for suspension of sentence is now at a critical stage.
“The arguments would have been completed in 15 to 20 minutes’, the IHC CJ said, adding that the bench can also do what the trial court did, but we will not.
The PTI has criticised the trial court’s verdict saying that the decision was announced in haste in the absence of the party chief and his lawyer.
Justice Amer said that the hearing was being adjourned till Monday and we will announce the decision even if no one comes.
“We adjourn the case till Monday, and even if no one comes, we will announce our decision,” Justice Farooq said, adding that what the trial court had done was wrong.
Opposing the adjournment of hearing, PTI’s lawyer Latif Khosa said if the hearing is to be adjourned then we are not a part of it. He requested the court not to adjourn the case today.
He said that the PTI chairman will be kept behind the bars for another three days?”
Advocate Latif Khosa then left the rostrum in protest, saying, ““Then we will not appear before the court. You can do what you want.”
