IHC will suspend punishments given to Imran Khan, hopes Aitzaz Ahsan

Commenting on prison terms handed down to former prime minister and ex-PTI chairman Imran Khan in the US cipher case and Toshakhana reference, renowned legal expert Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan said on Wednesday that these court rulings would be immediately suspended by the high court, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.  

Deploring that the accused, including Imran’s wife Bushra Bibi and PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, were not given the right to defend themselves, he said it was unfortunate that in the cipher case the prosecution’s lawyers were appointed as defendants’ lawyers instead.  

“In the cipher case, Qureshi was sentenced to 10 years in prison without recording his statement under section 342, while the statement given by ex-PTI chairman in writing did not bear his signatures,” the barrister said, adding, “Even witnesses were not summoned to record their statements in the case.”

He was of the view that not only both these decisions had made Pakistan a laughing stock in the world but they will also have adverse effects on the country’s economy.

Aitzaz appealed to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to fix the appeals filed in both these cases for hearing before the February 8 elections.

Reporter: Malik Ashraf