Court forms benches for appeals in crypto cases, rejects several bail applications as unsuccessful
Imran Khan, founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Photo: File
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a request for an immediate meeting with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan. Following lawyer Latif Khosa’s request to meet Khan, a notice was issued to the government for tomorrow.
“We cannot pass such an order without prior notice,” Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi said. “At present, the hurdle of objection to the maintainability of the petition has to be crossed,” Afridi told Khosa.
“Keep in mind that your cases are pending in other courts,” he said, adding: “In our view, this case has become infructuous.”
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“It is an order of August 24, 2023 against which the case was brought,” clarified the CJP. “We cannot make an order regarding a meeting without giving notice. It must be seen whether the matter has become infructuous or whether it can still be continued.”
The court ordered the formation of a three-member bench to hear appeals against Khan’s acquittal in the encryption case. An order was also issued to form a three-member tribunal to consider appeals against the acquittal of Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the encryption case.
Additionally, Khan’s bail application in the Al-Qadir Trust case was rejected as unsuccessful. A two-member bench headed by Afridi heard the matter.
Khosa asked for permission to meet his client, to which Afridi replied: “We will also decide on tomorrow’s meeting.”
“We cannot make any decision without informing the other party,” the chief justice added. The court adjourned the hearing of the case until tomorrow.
In the Al-Qadir Trust case, the application to cancel the PTI founder’s bond was rejected on the grounds that it was unsuccessful. Meanwhile, in the Toshakhana case, applications for cancellation of Imran Khan’s bail, as well as those of Bushra Bibi, were also dismissed as unsuccessful.
During the May 9 incidents in Lahore, an order was issued to form a three-member tribunal to consider applications for cancellation of bail of the PTI founder. The court adjourned for two weeks hearing applications for cancellation of bail in the encryption case and the May 9 incidents.
Speaking to the media outside the court, Imran’s lawyer Salman Safdar said the CJP had heard all the cases of the PTI founder, calling it “an indication that this is the worst example in Pakistan”.
“In every case where Imran Khan received relief, the government appealed against him,” Safdar said. “The figure was Pakistan’s most expensive trial. You also saw what the outcome was.”
“There is an adjournment in all pending cases,” he noted. “Every time I appear before the Supreme Court of Pakistan, we have always received relief.”
“Our meetings are restricted. But our cases are not even set for a hearing,” Safdar said.
“If justice is not done in a judicial proceeding, then that instance can be bypassed and a higher instance can be contacted,” the lawyer said. “We have never mentioned medical reasons in court until now,” he added.
“This in no way implies that we should ignore the health condition of the PTI founder. We have not sought bail on the pretext of medical reasons,” Safdar noted.
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He expressed hope that the meeting would take place tomorrow, saying: “My previous meeting also took place thanks to the Chief Justice. »
“Their meetings should be arranged. Winter is over and Ramazan is approaching. The bail pleas of Bushra Bibi and the PTI founder should be fixed for hearing. We have also requested a meeting with the Supreme Court.”
“Fifty cases are pending. All these cases were before the Supreme Court in which the government had sought cancellation of bail.”
Concluding his remarks, Safdar said: “Do not treat the accused as the apple of the eye; keep everyone on an equal footing. »
