PTI distances itself from plea filed in IHC on Imran’s behalf
• Gohar denies Advocate Faisal’s claim of consent for filing plea
• Says outdated wakalatnama used
ISLAMABAD: In a surprising turn of events, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf on Saturday distanced itself from a petition filed in the Islamabad High Court by Advocate Faisal Hussain Chaudhry on behalf of its founding chairman Imran Khan challenging the withdrawal of certain facilities in prison.
Interestingly, Advocate Faisal claimed that the petition was filed with the consent of PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan. But the PTI chairman reportedly said on Saturday night that Faisal Chaudhry had filed the petition on his own and used an outdated wakalatnama (power of attorney) of Imran Khan.
Just a day ago, Faisal Chaudhry was reportedly excluded from the PTI’s legal team, with the party’s Secretary General Salman Akram Raja instructing him to disassociate from all cases related to the PTI founder. He has also been removed from PTI lawyers’ WhatsApp groups. Barrister Gohar also confirmed this on Saturday night.
In his response, Faisal Chaudhry in a post on X, formerly Twitter, said he can understand that Barrister Gohar is “under immense pressure”.
There are allegations that Faisal Chaudhry, alongside Intizar Panjutha, was working to facilitate the return of certain leaders to the party, indicating possible internal dynamics within PTI’s legal and leadership circles.
Notably, Advocate Faisal’s brother, Fawad Chaudhry, previously served as a cabinet minister in the PTI government, but left the party during the crackdown on its leaders following the regime change in 2022.
The petition
The petition filed in the IHC claimed that Imran Khan’s political opponents are determined to undermine his commitment to democracy, rule of law, Constitution and the people of Pakistan, alleging that he has been subjected to inhumane treatment since Oct 3 this year by the prison authorities. It said the PTI founder has been denied his legal rights and made to endure severe conditions that violate prison rules.
The petition said the former premier “has been subjected to mental torture by the respondent authorities and he was kept in a tiny cell measuring 8x6 feet death cell throughout the day and not allowed exercise or walk. The electricity of his cell was disconnected for many days and he was made to sit in a pitch dark room all alone from 12 to 14 hours, putting his life and security on utmost down to the illegal and unlawful command of the incumbent government”.
The petition cited some news reports about the poor quality of food provided to Mr Khan, which has caused him acute stomachaches and vomiting. “The petitioner has also not been provided newspapers or other reading material since Oct 3, to keep him oblivion from the ongoing hostilities and brutal crackdown on his family and his workers.”
The petition requested the high court to direct jail authorities to restore proper facilities according to his status as a former prime minister.
Indictment in Toshakhana case
Meanwhile, the indictment of Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana case was postponed again, as Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand was on leave.
Previously, the judge was set to formally indict them concerning allegations of retaining an expensive Bulgari jewellery set from Toshakhana at a minimal cost. With Judge Arjumand unavailable, the court staff postponed the proceedings until later this month.
The next court session will be held in Adiala Jail, though prior security and legal considerations have influenced the scheduling and location of hearings for this high-profile case.
Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2024