Court Adjourns Hearing on Imran Khan-Bushra Bibi Private Meeting Request

ISLAMABAD: In a case concerning the request for permission to allow a private meeting and establish a conjugal relationship between Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi at Adiala Jail, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir has issued notices to the parties involved. The hearing has been adjourned until September 30.

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May 9 GHQ Attack Case: Imran Khan Appears in Court via WhatsApp Link as Lawyers Boycott Proceedings

In the ongoing May 9 GHQ attack case, former Prime Minister Imran Khan was presented in the anti-terrorism court via a WhatsApp video link.

The hearing was presided over by Judge Amjad Ali Shah of the Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court, who took up two petitions filed by Imran Khan related to the case. Imran Khan’s lawyers, Faisal Malik and Salman Akram Raja, appeared in court.

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During the hearing, the defense lawyers requested the court to provide CCTV footage of the proceedings held on September 19 and sought to halt the trial until the High Court issues orders regarding the transfer of the trial from jail premises.

Lawyer Faisal Malik stated that until consultations with Imran Khan take place, they do not wish to participate in the court proceedings. The court responded by noting that during the previous hearing, the lawyers had been allowed to communicate with their client, who then boycotted the proceedings. The judge suggested that the WhatsApp communication issue should be challenged in the High Court, as the trial cannot be stalled indefinitely.

The prosecutor criticized the defense, highlighting their repeated boycotts of court proceedings. He stated that the defense lawyers are not serious about the trial and are merely wasting the court’s time.

In response, Salman Akram Raja argued that the court must operate according to the Constitution, not government directives, and expressed concerns about presenting a person detained in a lockup via a WhatsApp call.

The court allowed the lawyers to challenge its orders in the High Court but emphasized that until the High Court issues any directives, the trial must proceed. The judge also remarked that the trial court cannot ignore the High Court’s instructions.

After hearing the arguments from both sides, the court dismissed Imran Khan’s two petitions.

Imran Khan’s Court Appearance

Later, Imran Khan appeared before the court via WhatsApp link in the same case. Defense lawyers requested permission to communicate with their client during the hearing. The court allowed this, but due to poor audio quality and unclear video, the lawyers expressed dissatisfaction and boycotted the proceedings. Consequently, Imran Khan’s lawyers left the courtroom.

Witness Statements Recorded

During the hearing, the court recorded statements of eight prosecution witnesses, including Additional Director PEMRA Nadeer Khan, FIA Technical Assistants Anees ur Rehman and Muhammad Imran, Deputy Directors PID Muhammad Tariq and Hasnain Wazir, former Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Abdullah, Irshad Bhatti, and Section Officer at the Ministry of Interior Bilal Ahmed.

So far, statements of a total of 41 witnesses have been recorded in the case. The prosecution has submitted their reports to the court, which has also summoned more witnesses for the upcoming hearings.

Imran Khan was present via WhatsApp link during the recording of witness statements.