IHC dismisses plea to review orders in Iddat case

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday dismissed a plea seeking a review of its orders to a district and sessions court to decide the central appeals in the Iddat case — involving Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi — within one month.

The court upheld the order that the sessions court should decide the appeal pleas within a month.

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb took up Khawar Manika’s petition for hearing.

Manika’s assistant lawyer told the court that senior counsel Rizwan Abbasi was busy in the Supreme Court and sought an adjournment. Imran’s counsel Salman Akram Raja argued that Khawar Manika had sought abolition of restriction on him for one month, as he wanted to leave for Iraq for pilgrimage.

Justice Aurangzeb remarked that the case would be taken up again at 11.30am. “If Rizwan Abbasi comes, we will hear his arguments. If the counsel for Khawar Manika does not come, then we will decide the case after seeing the record,” pronounced the judge.

“Today is July 9 and there is deadline of July 12 to decide the case,” Suleman Akram told the court. After some time, Rizwan Abbasi appeared in the court.

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb remarked that the court correct its every order. He further asked if Salman Safdar had not started his arguments so far.

Rizwan Abbasi said Zahid Asif was in the trial court and he will give his arguments. “Muharram has set in and Zahid Asif is not there. Give us time till September,” Abbasi pleaded the court.

Salman Akram Raja opposed Rizwan’s plea for giving time till September.

The court rejected the petition seeking a review of direction for deciding the appeal in one month.

In a related development, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) Tuesday rejected the interim bail of PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan in three cases of arson.

After hearing arguments over the application for interim bail, Judge Khalid Arshad had reserved the verdict on the cases involving arson attacks on Jinnah House, Askari Tower, and Shadman Police Station on May 9. The government had demanded Imran’s arrest, stating that it was necessary for investigation.