ISLAMABAD: A lower court on Monday rejected a request to postpone recording of the statement of the PTI chairman under Section-342 in the Toshakhana criminal case and summoned him again on Tuesday.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Hamayun Dilawar, hearing the case, observed that the PTI chief and his lawyer had disappointed the court as the purpose of such applications was to delay the trial. It was the third consecutive date fixed by the court to record the statement of the accused, who, however, requested to postpone it.
The former prime minister, who appeared before the court along with his lawyer Khawaja Haris, prayed for more time for recording his statement.
The judge remarked that as per the defence lawyer the statement could not be prepared due to the Ashura holidays. The PTI chairman had already been given sufficient time in that regard.
The defence lawyer’s stance that the court was running the trial in a fast way, was also not fair, he added.
Khawaja Haris argued that it was an impression that the sessions court wanted to conclude the trial early so that their appeals in high court would become ineffective. The court itself had appointed him as a representative of PTI chief and testified the witnesses, while the accused should have right to appoint his representative himself, he added.
The lawyer said they had challenged the trial court’s decisions before the high court and his client required some time before recording his statement under Section-342.
The counsel for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Amjad Pervaiz, said five appeals were pending with the high court, which only aimed at getting a stay order against the trial. The accused had requested a stay order to the top court but his case was dismissed, he said, adding the trial court could continue the proceedings.
The lawyer said that for the first time an objection had been raised against the session court after the indictment. They should approach the high court and prove that the indictment was wrong, he added.
The court adjourned the case till Tuesday.
