ISLAMABAD – The Islamabad High Court deferred hearing on the PTI chairman’s appeal for a stay of execution in the Toshakhana case on Friday due to the absence of Election Commission counsel Amjad Parvez. The appeal for suspension of the PTI chairman’s sentence was heard by an Islamabad High Court panel led by Chief Justice Amir Farooq. Due to sickness, ECP lawyer Amjad Parvez was unable to present in court; however, his assistant counsel did. Parvez’s assistant attorney informed the court that they had not requested an adjournment in the previous eight months. He stated that he lacked power of attorney in this matter.
According to Justice Amir Farooq, the motion for sentence postponement has reached a key point. Arguments were to be finished in 15 to 20 minutes. On Friday, there was no double bench available.
“In these circumstances, we could have adjourned the case until Monday,” remarked the IHC CJ.
“We could take the same path as the trial court, but we will not act (hurriedly).” The trial court erred in its decision, but we will not repeat it. “The court adjourns the case until Monday and says that if no one shows up for the hearing on that day, the court will decide the case,” stated the IHC CJ.
Latif Khosa, the lawyer representing the PTI chairman, entered the rostrum and stated that one individual had been imprisoned for the last 20 days. They planned to imprison the PTI leader for another three days. Khosa had told them that they would not attend in court (in protest).
Later, the court granted the ECP lawyer’s plea and deferred the case till Monday.