The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday issued notices to the respondents on the plea of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan for bail and suspension of his punishment in the Toshakhana criminal case, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

“This trial has been conducted in such a way that every day we used to come to the high court to challenge some order,” Imran Khan’s lawyer Khawaja Harris said while presenting his arguments in the court.

“On one hand we were facing the trial, on the other hand challenging the orders of the sessions court. The trial judge conducted the trial hastily,” he said.

“The high court had asked to decide on two petitions in seven days. [But] the trial judge decided on the third day. He could have decided on the third or fifth day. What was the hurry?” he added.

“I was busy in the Supreme Court, High Court and Accountability Court on the last day. At half past ten, the trial judge was told that I had been coming to the trial court. [But] my clerk was chased, and he was not allowed to file pleas,” he stated.

“I also filed a plea in the Supreme Court in this regard. The trial court gave the verdict without hearing the case,” he declared.

Khawaja Harris also raised the issue of the alleged harassment of his clerk in the Supreme Court and the High Court.

“I reached the trial court at 12:15 pm. It was told that the verdict would be pronounced at 12:30 pm. When the judge came, I was on the rostrum. I filed the plea, but the judge said that he was going to pronounce the verdict,” he stated.

“The trial court pronounced its verdict at 12 pm, and it issued a 30-page verdict at 12:30 pm. It seems that the decision was already written,” senior lawyer Latif Khosa said and demanded that the court fix the case for hearing the following day.

“It is not possible to fix the case for hearing tomorrow. I have to undergo a medical check-up tomorrow,” IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq said.

“It is feared that the bail in other cases will be cancelled then,” Khawaja Harris remarked.

“It does not happen that if you are arrested in one case, you will be arrested in another case too. We have decided this in the Asif Zardari case,” the chief justice replied.

The court then adjourned the hearing of the case.

Reporter: Rozina Ali