A trial court in Islamabad has adjourned the Toshakhana criminal case hearing till July 17. Additional Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar conducted the hearing on Friday. Election Commission of Pakistan’s lawyer Saad Hassan appeared before the court. The judge asked the ECP lawyer to present his arguments. But the lawyer told the court that Barrister Amjad Pervaiz would give the arguments on the case and he could not come to the court today due to some domestic urgency. He requested the court to put off the hearing till tomorrow. The judge remarked that the case could not be heard tomorrow as kutchehri was being shifted to new building tomorrow.

 Then the ECP lawyer suggested to adjourn the hearing till July 17. Agreeing to him, Judge Dilawar put off the case till Monday 11am. PTI Chairman’s Barrister Gohar Ali Khan also appeared before the curt. Addressing Gohar, the judge remarked in a light vein that ‘nowadays the barrister seems to be very busy’. The judge also uttered ‘good to see you’ words. On which, barrister Gohar quipped ‘in new kutchehri building, the hearing will be conducted in new amiable environment’.

 During its hearing yesterday, the trial court summoned Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan in the case. Additional district and sessions judge (ADSJ) Humayun Dilawar exempted Khan from personal appearance for Wednesday, but warned that the court would not exempt him in the future. The judge expressed his annoyance over the continuous absence of the accused from court appearance, remarking he had never come across any legal precedence where an accused never put even a single appearance during seven-month-long proceedings. The Toshakhana reference was sent to the trial court by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) seeking criminal proceeding against PTI chief for concealing details of state gifts.

 
Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP