A local court in Islamabad has accepted PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s request to be exempted from the court appearance while directing him to ensure his presence in the Toshakhana criminal proceedings case on Monday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
The Islamabad District and Sessions Court on Saturday heard the Toshakhana case against the PTI chairman.
PTI chairman’s lawyer Khawaja Haris and Election Commission of Pakistan's lawyer Amjad Pervaiz appeared before Judge Humayun Dilawar.
During the hearing, Kh Haris filed a request for court exemption of the PTI chief, while pleading with the court to adjourn the hearing till Monday. However, the lawyer of the Election Commission opposed his request.
ECP lawyer Amjad Pervaiz said that no concrete reasons were given in the PTI chief’s court exemption request. He said if the trial is going on, the accused must be present. The Supreme Court has summoned PTI chairman on Monday. He said in order to ensure his appearance, he should be ordered to submit an affidavit and be directed to appear after appearing in the Supreme Court.
Judge Dilawar remarked, “There is nothing in the case file except the request for court exemption. Even today the request is to the extent of exemption. You are objecting to the daily hearing. Your request for exemption was always granted, even though the accused did not appear even once.’
Later, the court accepted Imran’s plea for court exemption and directed him to ensure his appearance in the District and Sessions Court after appearing in the Supreme Court on Monday.
The court adjourned the hearing of the case till July 24.
Reporter Farzana Siddique