Supreme Court Declares PTI Founder’s Petitions Infructuous

ISLAMABAD: (Web Desk) – The Supreme Court of Pakistan has declared three criminal petitions filed by PTI founder Imran Khan as infructuous and adjourned them indefinitely, ruling that all objections may be raised before the high court where the main appeal is currently pending.

According to a detailed written judgment released on Monday, a two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan passed the order after hearing the case on February 12.

The petitions stemmed from the same criminal proceedings initiated on a complaint filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan through the District Election Commissioner Islamabad. While each petition challenged different interim or related orders, all were linked to a single set of trial court proceedings.

In the first petition, the petitioner had contested issues of jurisdiction and limitation before the trial court, which were dismissed. Although the high court later remanded the matter, the trial concluded and a final judgment was delivered on August 5, 2023. That judgment has since been challenged and is pending before the high court.

The second petition questioned the rejection of a request to summon specific witnesses. Despite filing review and miscellaneous applications before the high court, no stay was granted and the trial proceeded to its conclusion.

The third petition challenged the refusal to transfer the case from one court to another. By the time it was taken up, the trial court had already announced its final verdict, which is now under appeal.

The apex court observed that the interim orders challenged in the petitions had merged into the final judgment of the trial court. Since that judgment is already under challenge before the high court, the Supreme Court held that the petitions had lost their relevance.

The court also examined reports regarding the petitioner’s jail conditions following earlier directions. Reports were submitted by the Superintendent of Central Jail Rawalpindi and amicus curiae Barrister Salman Safdar.

Imran Khan Reveals 85% Vision Loss in Right Eye in Supreme Court Report

After reviewing the material, the court noted that the petitioner’s accommodation, food, medical care and security arrangements were satisfactory and that he himself had expressed satisfaction. However, concerns were raised over his eye health, prompting the Attorney General to assure the court that a medical board of ophthalmology specialists would conduct an immediate examination.

The court further recorded recommendations allowing the petitioner to contact his sons, Suleman Khan and Qasim Khan, residing in the United Kingdom, and to be provided with certain books, with the Attorney General assuring cooperation.

While confirming that its earlier order on jail conditions had been fully complied with, the Supreme Court adjourned the petitions indefinitely. It clarified that the cases would be fixed for hearing only after the high court decides the pending appeal, and that any grievance in the meantime should be raised before the high court.