The Islamabad High Court Thursday accepted PML-N leader Khawaja Asif’s petition challenging the decision to disallow the right to cross-examine Prime Minister Imran Khan with reference to the premier’s defamation case against him. Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that the case should be heard on a daily basis and decided in due course.
He further stated that the court would order the trial court to decide the case within two months. The court asked Khawaja Asif’s lawyer why he was postponing the case, claiming that he was unnecessarily delaying the case.
Referring to the premier’s counsel, the court observed that it was the defendant’s right to cross-examine the prime minister, says a news report.
It further maintained that the cross-examination should have been held on the next day of the statement being recorded.
“The statement was recorded on December 17. How can the trial court terminate the right to cross-examine on the same day?” the CJ questioned. Responding to the IHC chief justice, PM Imran’s lawyer argued that Khawaja Asif had not appeared before the court for a year.
Earlier this month, Asif had challenged the sessions court’s decision of not giving his counsel the right to present arguments in a defamation suit worth Rs10 billion filed by Prime Minister Imran Khan against him.
The prime minister last month submitted an affidavit to Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Adnan via video link against the PML-N leader for leveling allegations of non-transparency, money laundering and use of anonymous companies in the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust funds.
The PML-N leader filed an application with the IHC against the lower court’s verdict and nominated PM Imran and the sessions court judge as respondents.
