Lahore court hands over Maneka to ACE on one day transit remand in land grabbing case n Islamabad court orders to produce PTI chief before court on Oct 2 in illegal marriage case.
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE - Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday directed the authorities to transfer Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan to Adiala Jail from Attock district prison.
A single bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice of IHC Justice Aamer Farooq issued the directions while hearing of Imran Khan’s petition seeking directions to transfer him from Attock district prison to Adiala Jail and provide him facilities in prison. During the hearing, the IHC CJ observed that the status of PTI chairman’s sentence has changed and all under trial prisoners of Islamabad are detained at the Adiala jail. He then asked that why the PTI chairman has been kept at the Attock [jail] till now?
Justice Aamer mentioned that according to the “original order” of the Toshakhana case, Imran was to be kept at the Adiala jail. Addressing the Additional Attorney General Manwar Iqbal Dogal, he asked, “If tomorrow, you transfer him to Rahim Yar Khan, then will we hold the trial there?” At this, Dogal replied that when the PTI chairman was detained in the cipher case, the court ordered to detain him at the Attock jail.
Later, Justice Aamer ordered to shift the PTI chairman to Adiala Jail. He also sought a response from AAG Dogal on the matter. The chief justice said that chairman PTI was a former prime minister and an educated person so he should be given the facilities as he deserved as per jail rules.
said that it would try to issue the order in same day. It may be mentioned here that the trial court had announced a three year jail term to chairman PTI on August 5, in toshakhana criminal case and he was shifted Attock Jail after being arrested. However, later an IHC’s bench suspended the decision of trial court. But he was still kept in the said jail after a lower court approved his judicial remand in cipher case.
In his petition, Khan’s counsel invoked the constitutional jurisdiction of this court for transfer of his client from Attock Jail to Central Jail Adiala, Rawalpindi and for all the facilities as per his entitlement under the relevant law as well as his protection in the jail. In this matter, Khan’s counsel Naeem Haider Panjotha moved the petition through Sher Afzal Marwat Advocate and cited Federation of Pakistan through Secretary Interior, Chief Commissioner Islamabad and Superintendent Adiala Jail and Superintendent District Jail Attock as respondents.
In the petition, the counsel requested the court to transfer Khan to Adiala Jail where A-class facilities are available. He added that his family, lawyers and Dr Sultan should be allowed to meet him. He prayed that the petitioner may be declared as entitled to the better class/A-Class facilities and consequently, the respondents be directed to award A-Class facilities to the petitioner during his period of detention in any jail or Adiala Jail.
‘IN-CAMERA PROCEEDINGS’
Separately, the same IHC bench also reserved its verdict whether to hold in-camera proceedings in Imran’s petition seeking his post-arrest bail in the cipher case. During the hearing, lawyers Salman Safdar, Niazullah Niazi and Ali Bukhari, among others, appeared as the PTI chief’s counsels. Special prosecutors Zulfikar Naqvi and Shah Khawar also appeared before the court.
At the outset of the hearing, Khawar contended before the court that “there were a lot of things that could not be made public before the court” he said adding that the Official Secrets Act mandated that the hearing be held in-camera. At this, Justice Farooq noted the matter was not of a criminal appeal but rather a bail petition. Khawar then informed the court that the challan of the cipher case would be ready in a few days.
Barrister Safdar argued that the special court judge had held the hearing at the Attock jail due to security reasons, and not due to it being mandated by the Secrets Act. He added that if the court deems so, it can tell irrelevant people to leave the courtroom. To this, Khawar replied that the matter of bail was also part of the cipher hearing.
Referring to Imran and PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Safdar asserted that a former prime minister and a former foreign minister are under arrest and issues are being created in the post-arrest bail plea. Addressing the court, Marwat said that the entire nation has set its eyes on this bail plea. To this, the IHC CJ remarked that now, there would be even live-streaming of court hearings. If they are live-streamed, the entire world will see the court proceedings.
He added that as the chief justice of IHC, this action will start from his court and we should be prepared accordingly. Then, Justice Farooq observed that he would decide how to proceed with the case after reviewing the case record. Subsequently, the IHC reserved its verdict on the matter. The District and Sessions Court Monday again directed the officials to present Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief before the court on October 2 in the illegal marriage case. Civil Judge Qudratullah heard the alleged illegal marriage case against Chairman PTI and Bushra Bibi.
PTI’s lawyer, Sher Afzal Marwat informed the court that Islamabad High Court (IHC) had issued a directive to relocate PTI from Attock Jail to Adiala Jail. Therefore, it was no more matter of Attock Jail now. He requested an adjournment of Monday’s hearing without further proceedings, and urged the court to reissue orders for the appearance of the PTI chief.
Was it necessary to present PTI chief before the court, the judge asked the lawyer? Lawyer Sher Afzal Marwat replied that PTI chairman was currently in the custody of the state. It should be noted that the Superintendent of Attock Jail excused presenting Chairman PTI in the court in the illegal marriage case.
Bringing the PTI chief out of Attock jail would not be less dangerous as any incident could happen during the journey from Attock to Islamabad, the superintendent said in his written letter.
Meanwhile, a local court in Lahore on Monday handed over Khawar Maneka, the former husband of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi to the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab on one-day transit remand. Earlier, the ACE Punjab produced Khawar Maneka before Judicial Magistrate Imran Abid in district courts.
ACE’s prosecutor submitted that Khawar Maneka had been arrested in connection with charges of illegally occupying Auqaf Department’s land in Haveli Lakha, District Okara, and constructing shops and a marriage hall over it. He submitted that an inquiry was underway on a reference filed by the authorities in this regard. He pleaded with the court to grant transit remand of Khawar Maneka for producing him before the court concerned in Okara.
At this, the court granted one-day transit remand of Khawar Maneka and ordered for producing him before the court concerned by today.
It is pertinent to mention here that Khawar Maneka was detained by the Federal Investigation Agency and handed over to ACE Punjab when he was trying to leave for Dubai from Allama Iqbal International Airport, earlier in the day.
Lawyer Sher Afzal Marawat prayed the court to issue written order regarding shifting of chairman PTI to Adiala Jail. The court
