ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday barred the Banking Court to decide on the interim bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the prohibited funding case.
A division bench comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri heard Khan’s petition asking the Court to direct the Banking Court, Islamabad not to pass an order on cancellation of his bail.
The petition against the Banking Court was filed in the IHC on Wednesday at around 1 p.m., which the high court office accepted without biometric, a requirement for the filing of the petition, and fixed it for hearing before the division bench, which heard it at 2:30 p.m.
After restraining the Banking Court from cancelling Khan’s bail, the IHC bench sought a fresh medical report on the next hearing and granted him relief till February 22.
In the petition before the IHC, Khan’s counsel challenged the orders of the banking court regarding summoning him in personal capacity. The bench heard the case along with the objections raised by the Registrar office against the plea.
Imran’s lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar contended that his client had already appeared in the court and he also wanted to appear again. He said if an accused appeared before the court, then he could be granted exemption from appearance in the next hearing as per the recent judgment of the top court.
The counsel informed that his client could not travel due to the injured leg while the Registrar office raised objection of biometric verification. He added that Imran Khan would be able to walk till the end of this month as per his doctors.
The IHC bench temporarily removed the objection of the Registrar office and instructed it to fix the case again for hearing after adding diary number.
During the hearing, Justice Jahangiri observed that PTI’s chief had sought eight times adjournment in the case. Justice Kayani asked whether the petitioner wanted this court to stop the decision of banking court.
Khan’s lawyer said his client was given interim bail on October 17, while Wazirabad incident took place on November 3. He said his client had given applications for exemption from attendance two times before the incident and six times after it.
He continued that Imran Khan never hesitated to appear before the courts but now medical ground was before the court. After the arguments, the court stopped the banking court from taking decision till the next date and also sought the fresh medical report of Imran Khan on February 22.
Earlier, the Registrar office had raised three objections on the petition of Imran Khan including biometric, his unverified affidavit, and adding the name of special judge central in the case.
The bench temporarily granted exemption from biometric and also instructed the petitioner to verify his affidavit from the Lahore High Court (LHC) instead of the oath commissioner.
In this matter, the banking court had granted the last opportunity to Imran for appearing in the prohibited funding case, lodged by the FIA against him and others. However, the former prime minister had challenged the orders before the IHC.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023