ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has scheduled a hearing for tomorrow on the petition filed by the imprisoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, Imran Khan. The plea seeks to prevent his potential transfer to military jurisdiction in connection with the May 9 cases.
IHC Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb will preside over the hearing. Despite objections from the IHC registrar’s office, which raised concerns about the petition’s procedural aspects and its relevance given the ongoing Supreme Court case on military trials, the hearing has been set.
Imran Khan filed the petition under Article 199 of the Constitution on September 3, amid speculation about the possibility of a military trial. This speculation has been fueled by statements from high-ranking government officials, including Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar.
Defence Minister Asif recently suggested that it is becoming increasingly likely that Khan will face a military trial based on the available evidence. He also stated that if held, the trial would be conducted openly. However, he has dismissed the idea of an open trial for military personnel following Khan’s call for transparency in the trial of former ISI chief Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hamid.
Federal Law Minister Tarar had earlier indicated that the Punjab government might decide to refer Khan’s case to a military court if deemed necessary.
The IHC registrar’s office had objected to the petition, noting it lacked specific details, documentation, and had raised procedural issues regarding its submission while the matter is still under review by the Supreme Court. The apex court had previously suspended its October 23, 2023, ruling that had declared the military trial of civilians in the May 9 riots cases as null and void, pending a final verdict on the intra-court appeals filed by the federal and provincial governments.
