ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday stopped the banking court from a decision on the interim bail of Imran Khan in the prohibited funding case and sought his fresh medical report on next hearing.
A two-judge IHC bench, comprising Justice Mohsin Akhter Kayani and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, heard the petition of Imran Khan, challenging orders of the banking court regarding summoning him in personal capacity. The division bench heard the case along with the objections raised by the Registrar office against the plea.
Petitioner’s lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar took the stance that his client had already appeared in the court of special judge central and he also wanted to appear again. He said that if an accused appeared before the court, then he could be granted exemption from appearance in next hearing as per the recent judgment of the top court.
The lawyer said that his client couldn’t travel due to the injured leg, adding that the Registrar office raised objection of biometric verification. Imran Khan would be able to walk till the end of this month as per his doctors, he said.
The court temporarily removed the objection of Registrar office and instructed it to fix the case again for hearing after adding diary number.
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.
The petitioner’s lawyer said that his client was granted interim bail on October 17, while the incident of Wazirabad had taken place on November 3. He said that his client had given applications for exemption from attendance two times before the incident and six times after it.
The lawyer said that Imran Khan never hesitated from appearing 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.
It may be mentioned that the Registrar office had raised three objections on the petition of Imran Khan including biometric, unverified affidavit of Imran Khan 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 Lahore High Court (LHC) instead of oath commissioner.
The banking court had granted the last opportunity to Imran Khan for appearing in prohibited funding case, lodged by FIA against him and others. However, the former prime minister had challenged the orders before IHC.
