Rawalpindi: In the GHQ attack case, the founding chairman PTI boycotted the video link hearing and turned off the video link and the lawyers also boycotted and left the courtroom in protest, while the application to present Imran Khan to the court was dismissed.
The notification of the Home Department for the video link trial was challenged in the court, while an application was also filed to present the founding chairman PTI to the court. Defense lawyers Faisal Malik and Barrister Ali Bukhari presented arguments.
13 USBs containing video clips were presented in the court by both the witnesses. Video clips of Khadim Khokhar, Shehryar Afridi, Umar Tanveer, Sadaqat Abbasi, Sikandar Mirza and clippings of various national newspapers were presented through USBs.
The witnesses stated that 40 videos of the founder PTI related to May 9 were downloaded.
A witness said that the digital evidence was obtained from CCTV cameras installed in Benazir Bhutto Road, Mall Road, Liaquat Bagh and adjacent areas.
10 witnesses were summoned to record their statements at the next hearing.
Case proceedings
On the petition filed against the video link attendance of the PTI founder, prosecution Zaheer Shah argued that transferring the jail trial to the ATC is an executive order of the Punjab government and the review of the executive order is the power of the constitutional court.
Prosecutor Zaheer Shah said that under the amendment to the CrPC Act in 2016, the accused was allowed to be presented through video link. Sections 15 and 21 of the AT Act give the court the authority to decide the trial. The government is not even bound to give the reason for transferring the trial from one place to another. The application against the video link attendance of the accused is tantamount to obstructing the trial and wasting time.
Special Public Prosecutor Ikram Amin Minhas said that it is the right of the defense lawyers to approach the higher judiciary against the notification, but the trial cannot be stopped.
Lawyer founder PTI Muhammad Faisal Malik said that we demand a fair trial from the court, for a fair trial, the personal presence of the accused is necessary, we received a copy of the provincial government’s notification yesterday, we will go to the High Court against it.
The court asked the defense lawyers whether they want to give further arguments on this application? The defense lawyers asked for half an hour to consult with the legal team, on which the court adjourned the hearing for half an hour.
Important witness went abroad with his family
An important witness in the case went abroad with his family. Sub-Inspector Tassaduq was to testify today and was summoned. Sub-Inspector Tassaduq’s partial statement was also recorded two months ago and when he did not appear on summons today, it was learned that he had gone abroad. The investigation team brought another urgent witness in place of this witness.
After the break, the Superintendent of Jail Adiala was also instructed to keep the video link ready and the founding chairman of PTI to appear on the video link. The prosecutor said that today the video link of one witness will be required, the witness is ready and the recording of the statement will start as soon as the video link is turned on from the jail.
Imran Khan boycotted the video link hearing and the video link was also turned off. PTI lawyers also boycotted and left the courtroom in protest. The founding chairman of PTI appeared on the video link for a while.
During the video link, the lawyers spoke to the founder and said that sir, this video link hearing is unconstitutional and to keep you in isolation, we lawyers are boycotting as a protest and are also going to the High Court.
The founder chairman PTI said that your decision is right and I am also boycotting. As soon as Imran Khan said boycott, the video link went off.
The court said that despite the boycott, the court will continue its proceedings. The court started recording the statement of the government witness and prosecutor Zaheer Ali Shah recorded the statement.
The court remarked that today we will record the statement, the accused lawyers will be able to cross-examine again. The statement of Sub-Inspector Manzoor was recorded while the other witness Sub-Inspector Saleem was also present in the court premises.
The hearing of the GHQ attack case was adjourned until September 23, the statements of two witnesses Sub-Inspector Manzoor and Sub-Inspector Saleem were recorded. The case was heard by ATC Amjad Ali Shah.
Speaking to the media outside the Anti-Terrorism Court, founder PTI’s lawyer Faisal Malik said that the trial on video link is completely illegal, has no legal status, half the trial is in jail, half in court, it is against the requirements of justice.
He said that the founder PTI rejected the video link trial, the founder PTI said that he would boycott the video link trial. There was no video link in the court, the proceedings were conducted on WhatsApp call. The sound was cutting off in the WhatsApp call, the image was not visible. It is illegal to conduct the trial in the absence of the founder PTI.
Faisal Malik said that the legal team had no option but to boycott, we should be given a couple of days to challenge the notification. Salman Akram Raja has prepared a petition against the video link notification, he is going to the High Court with the petition. This trial is against Article 10-A of the Constitution and the requirements of fair trial.
Petition to produce Imran Khan dismissed
The court dismissed the petition to produce PTI founder Imran Khan in person.
While dismissing the petition, the court remarked that the PTI founder will appear via video link as per the notification of the Punjab government.
The court has directed the FIA, PEMRA, PID, Internal Security on the next hearing.