Tag: IHC

  • Islamabad Court orders Adiala authorities to present Imran Khan in court today

    Islamabad Court orders Adiala authorities to present Imran Khan in court today

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the Adiala Jail Rawalpindi authorities to present the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, before the court at 3 PM today.

    “Bring the PTI founder; he will have a meeting with his lawyers,” IHC stated during the hearing of a contempt of court case against the Adiala Jail Rawalpindi Superindentent for not allowing lawyers to meet Khan in jail.

    Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan directed the superintendent to record reasons for every time he failed to ensure Imran Khan’s presence before the court.

    “The court does not accept the security threats […] the lawyers were not allowed to meet. This is contempt of the court,” Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq remarked.

    Citing the imposition of a ban on lawyers meeting with Khan, the State Council informed the court that the Punjab government had imposed the ban on meeting in Adiala jail amidst security concerns.

    “Is there a ban on lawyers meeting him? If the Punjab government has prohibited the meeting of the lawyers, it would have committed contempt of court; whoever issued this notification has also committed contempt of court,” the court responded to the state council’s argument on security concerns, and directed the authorities to present the PTI founder in court.

    However, later in the day, it was reported that Adiala Jail authorities had arranged for a meeting between Imran Khan and lawyers Salman Akram Raja, Faisal Fareed Chaudhary and Shoaib Shaheen.

    Security concerns were cited by jail authorities for being unable to present the PTI founder in court instead. Imran’s lawyers have also been informed about the development, reports said.

  • ‘Defence par baat karne se pehle ISPR clearance kyun zaroori hai?’; High Court questions army control on defence analysis

    ‘Defence par baat karne se pehle ISPR clearance kyun zaroori hai?’; High Court questions army control on defence analysis

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to present the original noting file upon which the eligibility of a defence analyst is processed and recommended.

    Hearing a petition filed by Colonel (retd) Inamul Rahim Advocate, who challenged PEMRA’s April 4, 2019 notification, Justice Babar Sattar questioned the legal standing of Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) over their exclusive right to determine which defence analyst can appear on Pakistan TV.

    The April 4, 2019, notification stated that retired army officers could analyse defence matters on television news and current affairs programmes after obtaining ISPR clearance.

    The Islamabad court asked PEMRA’s counsel what the military media wing has to do with the pre-clearance of defence analysts with Pakistan’s sovereignty and how PEMRA can impose a prior restraint on speech.

    Citing section 20 of the PEMRA ordinance, the Counsel said that the provision assures responsibility of TV channels to protect national security, integrity and sovereignty.

    However, the case was adjourned until November 20.

  • Government clarifies no military trial for Imran Khan

    Government clarifies no military trial for Imran Khan

    The federal government clarified to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that the possibility of a military trial for founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, is not under consideration.

    Additional Attorney General (AAG) Barrister Munawar Iqbal Duggal remarked before the IHC that the defence ministry has not yet provided any information regarding former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s military trial.

    However, the AAG Duggal cleared to the IHC bench headed by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb that Khan’s military trial would be per the law if the military court tried him.

    Law official for Ministry of Defence, Brigadier Falak Naz remarked that civilian trials by the military court are possible for certain offences under Section 2(1) (d) of the Pakistan Army Act.

    Earlier, ex-PM Khan filed a petition against his possible military trial in connection with the May 9 violent protest cases, upon which IHC directed the incumbent government to submit its answer by September 24.

  • Khan, Bushra Bibi request IHC to transfer back Iddat case to Judge Shahrukh Arjumand

    Incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi have requested the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday to transfer the Iddat Nikkah case back to Islamabad district and session court judge Shahrukh Arjumand, The Express Tribune reported.

    IHC judge Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb heard the petition, eliminated objections raised by the registrar’s office on the plea, and sent notices to Bushra Bibi’s former husband, Khawar Maneka, in the case.   

    During the hearing, Khan’s counsel, Salman Safdar, requested the court to transfer the case back to judge Shahrukh Arjumand or IHC to hear the plea itself.

  • IHC declares Ahmad Farhad’s arrest illegal

    Islamabad High Court (IHC) has declared Kashmiri poet and activist Ahmad Farhad’s arrest to be illegal on Monday, ARY News reported.
    IHC said in a written order that Ahamad Farhad had been forcefully abducted from his residence in Islamabad, while security institutions failed to recover him.

    The court ordered that Ahmad Farhad should record his statement before the Lohi Bher magistrate after returning home.

    The court also ordered IHC registrar to combine all the cases of forced disappearance and submit them to the IHC’s Chief Justice.

  • No ban on reporting, court assures journalists

    No ban on reporting, court assures journalists

    Islamabad High Court (IHC) has clarified that court reporting is not banned and assured journalists that they can do it but must avoid “irresponsible reporting.”

    The IHC, in a significant move, announced its stance during a hearing of a case challenging the petition of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (Pemra) ban on broadcasting court proceedings on news channels.

    IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq said in a statement that media organizations are free to cover court proceedings but should avoid irresponsible reporting.

    Pemra submitted its reply during the hearing.

    Meanwhile, the court asked additional attorney general about the potential involvement of federal government in the matter. “This is Pemra’s matter, not the federal government’s,” he responded.

    Barrister Umer Ijaz Gilani, one of the petitioner’s counsel, stated that Pemra’s law does not restrict reporting on pending cases.

    After that, IHC adjourned the hearing till June 11.

  • Imran Khan to walk free from Adiala jail soon: Intezar Panjutha

    Imran Khan to walk free from Adiala jail soon: Intezar Panjutha

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawyer Intezar Panjutha has predicted that former Prime Minister Imran Khan will soon be cleared in all cases and will walk free without having to deal with anyone for freedom.  

    Panjutha told journalists after meeting Khan at Adiala jail that the former Prime Minister is spending time in prison for the sake of the public, claiming that Khan firmly refused to make any deal for personnel benefits.

    The political situation is comparatively better for PTI nowadays as the Islamabad High Court (IHC) acquitted Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case on June 3.

    Panjutha also said in his presser that Barrister Salman Safdar briefed Imran Khan on the court’s decision.

    The PTI lawyer also stated that Khan accused Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his wife of making secret assets through corruption and raised concerns over their names in “Dubai leaks.”

  • Vawda refuses to offer unconditional apology in contempt case

    Vawda refuses to offer unconditional apology in contempt case

    Senator Faisal Vawda has refused to render an unconditional apology to the Supreme Court in the contempt of court case, saying that his remarks were not different from others.

    In his defence, Vawda submitted transcripts of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Jamiat Ulema e Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Raoof Hasan’s speeches wherein they had passed hard-hitting statements against the judiciary.

    Vawda strongly criticised the judiciary over six Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges’ letter to SJC alleging intelligence agencies’ interference in judicial matters and also alleged dual nationality of Justice Babar Sattar of IHC.

    On May 15, the senator, in a press briefing, asked the court to show restraint in the contempt of court proceedings over his anti-judiciary remarks.

    He also asked the Supreme Court to withdraw the contempt charges against him, saying that the purpose behind the controversial press briefing was the country’s well-being.

  • Court rejects poet Ahmad Farhad’s bail plea

    Court rejects poet Ahmad Farhad’s bail plea

    An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Muzafarabad has rejected the bail petition of Kashmiri poet Ahmed Farhad on Tuesday, one day after the court reserved a verdict after hearing arguments from both sides.

    The poet’s wife Urooj Zainab told journalists that she will challenge the court’s decision.

    “Details of why the bail was rejected were not disclosed,” she said addressing the press.

    The poet came into the spotlight when he went missing amid recent protests in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

    The Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP), Mansoor Usman Awan told Islamabad High Court (IHC) on May 29 that Kashmir police arrested Farhad after he went missing for 15 days.

    The poet’s wife, Urooj Zainab stated in a petition for her husband’s recovery that Farhad was allegedly abducted on May 14 from Islamabad.

  • NOT GUILTY: Khan vindicated in cipher case

    NOT GUILTY: Khan vindicated in cipher case

    Islamabad High Court (IHC) acquits Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and the party’s vice president Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cypher case on Monday.

    A two-member bench of the IHC, including Justice Aamer Farooq and Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb, heard the petition filed by the PTI founder. IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq announced the verdict in the case against both politicians.

    The PTI founder and the party’s vice chairman were sentenced to ten years each in the case.

    What is cyphergate?

    The issue first came to light less than a month before Imran Khan’s removal from the prime minister’s office on March 27, 2022, when the PTI founder waved a letter addressing a public rally, claiming that it’s a cypher sent from a country that wanted Khan removed, which was later said to be the United States.

    The former prime minister claimed, while addressing the public, that this letter was the reason for his ouster as prime minister.

    Initially, Khan didn’t reveal the name of the country, but after a few days, he blamed the United States for plotting against him. The convicted former prime minister alleged that Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Affairs Donald Lu was responsible for his removal.