Imran not to testify before JC

ISLAMABAD: Those sitting in the Court Room No 1 were taken aback when counsel for PTI and constitutional expert Abdul Hafeez Pirzada informed the Judicial Commission Tuesdau that PTI chief Imran Khan would not be called in the witness box, though he was very confident during previous hearings that Imran Khan would spill the beans while recording his statement as witness.
Another legal expert of PTI told The News after Tuesday’s hearing that Imran Khan was never supposed to appear before the commission. Shah Mehmood Qureshi, party’s national organiser when asked why Imran Khan would not record his statement on ‘rigging’ in the 2013 general elections said it is purely the task of our legal team to decide whom to present as witness. He said he could not comment on this issue, as this is not his subject.
As a matter of fact, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada in the presence of journalists and other people sitting in the Court Room No 1 had said on the previous occasion that Imran Khan would record his statement and Mr. Pirzada had also intimated the same to the commission and this was the reason why Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk asked Mr. Pirzada on Monday whether he would like Imran Khan to testify. The PTI counsel replied that he would inform the learned commission on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, however, Mr. Pirzada informed the commission that he would not call PTI chief in witness box to record his statement. PTI has also closed the cross-examination of its witnesses.
Earlier a well-placed source in PML-N informed The News that legal team of PML-N has prepared a plethora of questions about the PTI chief’s statements against the ex-CJP Iftikhar Chaudhry, Justice (R) Ramday, rigging by an MI Brigadier, Geo/Jang Group and the role of ex-army chief Gen Kayani and 35 punctures.