Prime Minister Imran Khan was issued a notice by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) which seeks a reply in his defamation case against PML-N leader Khwaja Asif. The PM is required to record his response in his Rs10 billion defamation case against Khawaja Asif which was filed nine years ago over the latter's allegations about misappropriation of funds for the Shaukat Khanam Memorial Trust (SKMT).
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah headed the bench which heard Khwaja Asif's plea challenging Additional District and Session Judge Muhammad Adnan's ruling to abolish the defendant's right to conduct cross examination of the Prime Minister’s statement. The IHC has restrained the trial court from proceeding with the hearing.
Khwaja Asif had moved the IHC earlier this week to challenge the sessions court's ruling. In his plea, Asif had nominated PM Imran Khan as party and maintained that the defence lawyer had informed the trial court about his being unavailablele on the defamation case's hearing due to illness. In spite of this, the e-court recorded the PM’s statement in absence of the defence lawyer.
Asif’s lawyer stated before the IHC that the trial court judge removed the right of cross-examination on the PM’s statement. Justice Minallah asked as to how long the defamation suit had been under trial and who was responsible for delaying its conclusion. The lawyer said that the case dates to 2012 and questions were framed in 2021.
On this, Justice Minallah asked:
"Are you saying that the adjournment was done by Imran Khan?"He added that the defamation case ought to have been decided in two months.
Asif's lawyer noted that the adjournment was taken by both parties. The IHC adjourned the hearing of the PML-N leader's plea till January 12 while restricting the sessions court from further proceeding in the defamation case.
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah headed the bench which heard Khwaja Asif's plea challenging Additional District and Session Judge Muhammad Adnan's ruling to abolish the defendant's right to conduct cross examination of the Prime Minister’s statement. The IHC has restrained the trial court from proceeding with the hearing.
Khwaja Asif had moved the IHC earlier this week to challenge the sessions court's ruling. In his plea, Asif had nominated PM Imran Khan as party and maintained that the defence lawyer had informed the trial court about his being unavailablele on the defamation case's hearing due to illness. In spite of this, the e-court recorded the PM’s statement in absence of the defence lawyer.
Asif’s lawyer stated before the IHC that the trial court judge removed the right of cross-examination on the PM’s statement. Justice Minallah asked as to how long the defamation suit had been under trial and who was responsible for delaying its conclusion. The lawyer said that the case dates to 2012 and questions were framed in 2021.
On this, Justice Minallah asked:
"Are you saying that the adjournment was done by Imran Khan?"He added that the defamation case ought to have been decided in two months.
Asif's lawyer noted that the adjournment was taken by both parties. The IHC adjourned the hearing of the PML-N leader's plea till January 12 while restricting the sessions court from further proceeding in the defamation case.