ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court today ordered Prime Minister Imran Khan to record his response in a Rs10 billion defamation case he (PM) filed against PML-N leader Khawaja Asif.
The IHC bench, headed by Chief Justice Athar Minallah, conducted hearing in Khawaja Asif’s plea wherein he challenged Additional District and Session Judge Muhammad Adnan’s verdict of abolishing the defendant’s right to conduct cross examination of PM Imran Khan’s statement.
During the hearing, PML-N leader’s counsel informed the IHC bench that the trial court has ruled out their right to conduct cross examination on the premier’s statement.
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah inquired since when the defamation suit had been under trial and who was responsible for the delay in its conclusion.
replying to question of IHC judge, the counsel said that the case was filed in 2012 and further stated that the IHC had ordered quick conclusion of defamation cases.
The IHC bench remarked that the decision in defamation case should have been announced within two months of its filing. The IHC adjourned the hearing of Khawaja Asif’s plea till January 12 while restricting the sessions court from further proceeding in the defamation case.
Khawaja Asif challenges court’s ruling
PML-N leader Khawaja Asif reached out to the Islamabad High Court on Jan 3, 2022, and challenged the sessions court’s ruling. Through his lawyer Advocate Gillani, Asif had nominated PM Imran Khan as party and maintained that the defence lawyer had informed the trial court about his unavailability on the defamation case’s hearing on December 17, 2021, due to illness. In spite of this, the e-court recorded PM Imran Khan’s statement in absence of the defence lawyer, he said.
The plea moves the IHC to set aside trial court’s ruling. PM Imran Khan had virtually appeared before Additional District and Session Judge Muhammad Adnan on December 17, 2021, and verified his affidavit and signatures on the documents attached with it for hearing of Rs10 billion defamation suit he filed against Khawaja Asif.
