Pakistan: PTI party urges Chief Justice to schedule early hearings of Imran Khan's cases

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)has petitioned the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) to promptly schedule the hearing of all cases involving former prime minister, Imran Khan.

The party, as per The Express Tribune, has also urgedChief Justice Qazi Faez Isa to authorise the live broadcast of the said hearings.This comes asKhan has been charged with "criminal conspiracy"for "masterminding" the May 9 attack on army installations and for inciting the people to mutiny.The charge, as per news agency PTI, carriesa maximum sentence of death penalty.

Condemning the delay in Imran Khan's bail application by the Islamabad High Court, a PTI spokespersonsaid there was a need for the chief justiceto take immediate cognisance of the miscarriage of justice transpiring within the country and to ensure that the principles of justice were upheld in all subordinate courts.

Imran Khan's arrest

Back in May,Khan, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman, was arrestedby paramilitary Rangers in a corruption case. His arrest at the time triggered massive nationwide protests, during which dozens of military installations and government buildings, including the military headquarters in Rawalpindi, were damaged or torched during the riots.

Additionally, as per the news agency report, over 100 vehicles of police and other security agencies were set ablaze by the angry hoards. Later, Khan was released on bail.

Subsequently, Khan wasarrested in the Toshakhana gifts case. He washanded down a three-year imprisonment butwas later granted bail in the case after the higher court suspended the verdict.

However, he was once again re-arrested in the cipher case under Pakistan's Official Secrets Actand has beeninPunjab province's Attock Jail since August 5, 2023.

Khan has reportedly approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC), seeking post-arrest bail in the cipher case.

Cipher case

The casepertains to a diplomatic document which reportedly went missing from the former Pakistan PM'spossession. Imran Khan claims that the said document contained a threat from the United States to oust him from power.

(With inputs from agencies)

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