ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has expressed resentment over what it sees as “delaying tactics” in the bail case of its chairman, Imran Khan, alleging that it was an attempt to deprive him of right to fair trial and perpetuate his detention in Attock jail.

The accusations came after it emer­ged that the judge hearing the case had gone on leave until the end of the week.

Although Mr Khan’s three-year jail term in the Toshakhana case has been suspended, he remains incarcerated in connection with the cipher case.

He had also filed a post-arrest bail plea in the special court, which had been fixed for hearing on September 2, with notices issued to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other relevant authorities.

Special court judge on leave for five days; party hits back at caretaker PM’s statement about May 9 events

However, on September 2, hearings on the pleas were adjourned till Monday since the validity of the special court was under scrutiny in the IHC.

Speaking to reporters outside the Islamabad High Court on Monday, Mr Khan’s lawyer Naeem Haider Panjotha said that when the legal team arrived in court, they found out that Judge Zulqarnain was on leave for a week.

Court sources said that ATC judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain, who was appointed to the special court hearing the cipher case against Mr Khan and his deputy Mr Qureshi, had obtained five days leave as his wife is suffering from cancer.

The PTI core committee, in its meeting on Monday, said that after the special judge’s week-long leave, the refusal of the duty judge to hear the bail application of PTI chairman was a matter of great concern.

“Imran Khan’s cases are the worst examples of discriminatory justice, as first he was awarded punishment in the false case of Toshakhana in an extraordinary haste by flouting the law and justice and now efforts are being made to deprive him of justice by making various tricks to delay hearing of the cipher case,” it stated.

The core committee said that the case of PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi was also put on hold under the guise of the departure of the special judge.

Surprise over Kakar’s May 9 remarks

Meanwhile, PTI has called the Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar’s statement about the May 9 events very surprising and concerning, and reiterated its demand to constitute an empowered judicial commission to bring the truth before the nation.

Reacting to the caretaker PM’s interview with a private TV channel, the PTI spokesperson said that the Caretaker PM gave statements on all issues except of holding free, fair and transparent polls within the constitutionally mandated timeframe, which clearly reflected that apparently he was still unable to properly realize his constitutional mandate and responsibilities.

He reminded that PM Kakar’s government had the sole responsibility to hold free, fair and transparent elections within the stipulated period of 90 days.

However, the PTI spokesperson stated that, the Caretaker PM seemed to be talking and making statements on every topic apart from the holding of the polls.

He made it clear that the country could no longer tolerate such statements from the government level, adding that those sorts of narratives undoubtedly seemed to be an attempt to conceal the facts related to the events of May 9, which the nation did not vehemently rejected.

It is worth mentioning that the premier had said that the May 9 violence was an ‘attempted coup’ and said that Election Commission of Pakistan would announce the elections date.

The PTI spokesperson added that the nation was still waiting for an impartial and high-level judicial probe into all aspects of the May 9 events to uncover the truth.

He demanded that if the caretaker PM had any credible evidence related to May 9 events he should present before the nation forthwith, because unsubstantiated rhetoric on sensitive national issues by the state officials, especially the caretaker government was a cause of anarchy and chaos in the country.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2023