Supreme Court rejects request for immediate meeting with PTI founder

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the request for an immediate meeting with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, while significant developments were also reported during the hearing in the cipher case.

On the request of PTI leader Advocate Latif Khosa to meet the party founder, a two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, issued notice to the government for tomorrow (Tuesday).

The chief justice remarked that the court cannot issue such an order without serving notice to the relevant authorities. He observed that the objection regarding the maintainability of the petition must first be removed, and reminded that the petitioner’s cases are pending before other courts. In the court’s view, the case has become ineffective, noting that it pertained to an order dated August 24, 2023, against which the case had been filed.

Chief Justice Afridi stated that no order regarding a meeting can be passed without issuing notice, and that it must be determined whether the case has become ineffective or can still proceed.

He observed that the bench was of the view that this case has become ineffective.

Advocate Khosa maintained that he should be allowed to meet his client. The Chief Justice responded that a decision regarding the meeting would be made tomorrow, but no decision can be taken without issuing notice to the other party.

Subsequently, the hearing was adjourned until tomorrow.

CIPHER CASE 

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court ordered the formation of a three-member bench to hear appeals against the acquittal of the PTI founder in the cipher case. The court also directed the formation of a three-member bench to hear appeals against Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s acquittal in the same case.

Furthermore, the bail application of the PTI founder in the Al-Qadir Trust case was dismissed for having become ineffective. The court also dismissed the petition seeking cancellation of the PTI founder’s bail in the Al-Qadir Trust case on the same grounds.

Additionally, the petitions seeking cancellation of bail for the PTI founder and Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana case were also dismissed for being ineffective.

The court also ordered the formation of a three-member bench to hear petitions seeking cancellation of the PTI founder’s bail in connection with the May 9 incidents in Lahore. Later, the court adjourned the hearing on the bail cancellation petitions in the cipher case and the May 9 incidents for two weeks.