The court gives 7 days to remove all objections; Salman Safdar accuses the Registrar of creating confusion
Islamabad High Court. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court on Thursday removed all objections to the appeals filed against the Toshakhana case verdicts against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi. The court also ordered that the appeals be numbered and scheduled for hearing.
Barrister Salman Safdar said: “You are seeing us in court for the first time; let us not go empty-handed.” Judge Khadim Hussain Soomro remarked: “Both your applications have been approved; you will not leave empty-handed.”
On December 20, a special court sentenced Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi to 17 years in prison each in the Toshakhana-II case, which centers on allegations that the couple improperly kept a Bulgari jewelry set gifted by the Saudi crown prince during an official visit to Saudi Arabia.
During the hearing on the appeal against the Toshakhana case, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro presided over the case. Barristers Salman Safdar and Salman Akram Raja appeared along with Imran Khan’s three sisters.
Barrister Salman Safdar stated that “The Registrar’s Office had raised objections to our appeal. We were unaware of those objections. When we filed the applications for suspension, we found that there were objections. Objections were raised to the appeals which were baseless. The Registrar’s Office objected that the power of attorney was barred; later they withdrew that objection, and then they also withdrew the objection. and the order was not properly arranged.”
Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro noted that the court was dealing with the remaining objections in the appeals. Barrister Salman Safdar continued to question the objection of unflagged pages, to which the judge smilingly replied that counsel could mark the pages.
The court gave seven days to remove all remaining objections. Barrister Salman Safdar said: “We faced many difficulties in the past and hope the process will now be easier. The Justice Office has created confusion.”
Two separate applications by Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi were accepted, including one to remove objections to the main appeal and another to extend the time to remove objections. Judge Soomro assured that the applications had been approved and that the parties would not leave empty-handed.
