ISLAMABAD: In the prohibited funding case, the court dismissed the plea of exception ordering PTI Chairman Imran Khan to appear in court today.
Banking Court judge Rukhshanda Shaheen heard the interim bail application of Imran Khan and other accused in the case filed under the Foreign Exchange Act in the prohibited funding case. On this occasion, Imran Khan’s lawyer Salman Safdar, PTI leader Shibli Faraz, Azam Swati, Faisal Javed, Senator Saifullah Niazi, Aamir Kayani and others were also present in the court room.
At the beginning of the hearing, Judge Rukhshanda Shaheen remarked that only one lawyer and the petitioner should remain in the court, the rest should go out. Can’t hear the case in this rush. On this occasion, the court banned media coverage in the room and ordered the journalists to leave the courtroom.
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During the hearing, Imran Khan filed a request for exemption from attendance today on medical grounds. The court adjourned the hearing, after which it resumed. Imran Khan’s lawyer said that there is evidence in the form of the medical report of whatever I say.
The judge remarked that you have challenged my previous hearing order in the High Court, to which the lawyer said that if you hear my plea and grant relief, I will not go to the High Court. The judge said you have challenged my order, so go ahead.
Imran Khan’s lawyer, Barrister Salman Safdar, gave arguments regarding Imran Khan’s attendance through a video link. “I want you to listen to us here with an open mind,” said the lawyer. The decision of Justice Qazi Faiz Isa is there, the special prosecutor cannot come. Despite this, I did not object to Rizwan Abbasi. I will not object to him even today.
Lawyer Salman Safdar said that for the first time I want to tell who is the petitioner before you. Imran Khan is a man of more than 70 years. He must be super fit due to exercise but is over 70 years old. Even if a young person gets shot, it takes 3 months to recover. Imran Khan is also exempted from biometrics due to his old age. On this occasion, the lawyer asked for 3 weeks’ time for Imran Khan’s personal appearance.
Imran Khan’s lawyer presented Imran Khan’s x-rays in court and said that if we all become doctors, then see these x-rays. We only ask for 3 weeks for them to be able to stand without support. If a satisfactory position is put before the court, the court can approve it. If the court feels that my position is not correct, then you have to write the reasons.
The lawyer said that if the court rejects the bail, I will be arrested. I am currently outside Islamabad limits. If our request is not heard, we will have to write that our medical is not valid. It should also be written that Imran Khan was not hit by bullets. Imran Khan is not even in Islamabad.
Later, Mian Ali Ashfaq, the lawyer of co-accused Tariq Shafi presented arguments, on which the judge said that you are giving irrelevant arguments, this is only a bail case. I am not giving any observation, it will be just a case of guarantee.
Special prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi, giving arguments, told the court that it was said here that no one asks if a donation is given in the mosque. Such donation happens only in Pakistan and not in UAE.
The court inquired whether you have access to their bank accounts. To which the investigating officer replied that they have access to their bank accounts but they say we will take our own records.
The special prosecutor said that the lawyers of the accused have admitted the crime in the arguments. What is the offense under Section 5C of accepting a transaction as an admission? There is no malice involved on the part of the prosecution. Tariq Shafi did not even cooperate in the investigation. The judge inquired if they were not involved in the investigation, to which the special prosecutor replied that they were initially involved in the investigation and then did not cooperate. The Special Prosecutor opposed Imran Khan’s exemption from attendance.
Banking Court Judge Rukhshanda Shaheen rejected Imran Khan’s request for exception and gave him time to appear in the court till 3:30 today.
It should be noted that Imran Khan is on interim bail in the case filed by FIA and due to the rejection of the exception request, the bail will be canceled on Imran Khan’s non-appearance.
On the other hand, the legal team of Tehreek-e-Insaf has contacted Imran Khan. According to sources, PTI’s legal team has contacted Imran Khan for consultation on the rejection of the request for exemption from attendance in the foreign funding case. In this regard, the legal team says that it is not possible for Imran Khan to appear in Islamabad court today. The legal team briefed Imran Khan on today’s hearing.
Later, during the hearing of the case registered under the Foreign Exchange Act in the Banking Court Islamabad, FIA said in a statement that there is no need to arrest Amir Kayani and Saifullah Niazi. After FIA’s statement in the court, Amir Mehmood Kayani and Saifullah Niazi withdrew their bail application.
Meanwhile, in the case registered under the Foreign Exchange Act in the prohibited funding case, the court granted bail to 3 accused Tariq Shafi, Faisal Maqbool Sheikh and Hamid Zaman and ordered them to submit a surety bond of Rs 55 lakh. He was on pre-arrest bail.
