Imran Khan Appears Before Supreme Court in NAB Ordinance Case

Imran Khan Appears Before Supreme Court in NAB Ordinance Case

Imran Khan Appears Before Supreme Court in NAB Ordinance Case

Key Highlights:

1. Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan appears before the Supreme Court via video link.
2. The Supreme Court bench deliberates on the live-streaming of the hearing.
3. The case involves amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Ordinance 1999.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan appeared before the Supreme Court (SC) bench on Thursday in the National Accountability (NAB) Ordinance 1999 amendment case, as reported by ARY News. The five-member SC larger bench, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and including Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Athar Minallah, and Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi, is presiding over the case.

To facilitate Khan’s appearance, arrangements for a video link were finalized following the apex court’s order. During the hearing, the advocate general of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa requested live streaming of the proceedings, but CJP Qazi Faez Isa dismissed the request, stating that it was not a matter of public interest. Justice Athar Minallah, however, supported the idea of live broadcasting to counter negative impressions.

The bench briefly left the courtroom to deliberate on the live-streaming request. Upon returning, Chief Justice Isa addressed the absence of Khawaja Haris, the lawyer in the original case, expressing disappointment and inviting him to present his stance.

During the session, Justice Isa questioned the prolonged decision-making process regarding the case, while Makhdoom Ali Khan, the government’s counsel, attributed the delay to issues of admissibility. Justice Isa instructed Makhdoom to speak loudly so that Imran Khan could hear him via video link.

The delay in general elections was also discussed, with Justice Isa mentioning that they resolved the election matter within 12 days after Justice Minallah joined him.

The case involves a review plea filed by Pakistan’s federal government under the SC Practice and Procedure Law. The Federation of Pakistan, National Accountability Bureau, and Imran Khan are respondents. The government argues that the amendments to the NAB laws did not violate basic rights and requests the court to nullify its decision.

Previously, the Supreme Court, in a 2-1 verdict, approved Imran Khan’s petition challenging amendments to Pakistan’s accountability laws made during the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government, which had resulted in the restoration of graft cases against public office holders.

(Source from ARY News)

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Sabiha Rajpoot

Sabiha Rajpoot, a young journalist, having BA- Journalism degree, writes on different scenarios. Sabiha is also a doctor degree at DHMS.