IHC Bars Imran Lawyers From Politics After Meeting
The IHC bars Imran lawyers from speaking about political matters after meeting their clients. The written order, in the appeals against Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi’s conviction in the £190 million case, sets strict limits on what the legal team can say in public.
A division bench issued the directive on November 10, when it ordered the authorities to arrange a meeting between the former prime minister, his wife and their lawyers at Adiala Jail.
The bench, headed by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif, said the meeting should last at least one hour. It gave the lawyers one week to prepare their brief, and it will take up the case again on November 18.
IHC bars Imran lawyers: what the written order says
The court issued the directive at the request of advocates Sardar Latif Khosa and Salman Safdar, who said they needed to consult their clients to argue the case on merit. The bench ordered the Islamabad advocate general to ensure the meeting took place.
But the order also set a clear condition. The bench noted its expectation that after the meeting, both lawyers, “being very professional counsels”, would not speak about political issues.
“[The court expects that the counsel] would confine themselves only to the extent of legal issues and that no statement will be given publically or before [the] media,” the order said.
The instruction covers statements in public and before the media. It does not stop the lawyers from preparing or arguing the appeal.
“In the interest of justice, at the request of learned counsel for the appellant, one week’s time is granted to prepare the brief of instant appeal. Relist thereafter [on November 18]. The office shall prepare the paper books within seven days,” the order added.
The meeting at Adiala Jail
The meeting was the point of the November 10 hearing. Khosa and Safdar told the court they had not been able to meet Imran and Bushra Bibi, and without that access they could not prepare their arguments. The bench ordered the meeting for the next day, November 11.
Feature Pakistan reported the hearing in our earlier story on the adjournment of the £190m case. The written order now adds the restriction on political statements. The case has drawn close attention because Imran is the founder of the PTI.
Why the case has moved slowly
An accountability court in Islamabad convicted Imran and Bushra Bibi in the £190m case in January. The former prime minister and the former first lady later challenged the conviction in the Islamabad High Court. The division bench took up the appeals in October, eight months after they were filed.
The £190m case, also known as the Al-Qadir Trust case, concerns a sum of £190 million. The appeals challenge the convictions, and the court will hear arguments on merit once the lawyers have prepared their brief.
The case sits within a wider set of legal battles around Imran. A Lahore anti-terrorism court recently sent PTI leader Usman Akram to jail on a 10-day judicial remand in a May 9 case, and the Lahore High Court is hearing a separate plea on the PTI election symbol.
Imran has also backed dialogue through the party chairman, as reported in our story on his support for Gohar’s dialogue effort. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has dismissed speculation about a deal for the former prime minister, as reported here.
The court will take up the £190m appeals again on November 18, after the paper books are ready. The lawyers have a week to prepare, and the order says their public words after the Adiala meeting must stay within legal issues.
Frequently asked questions
What did the Islamabad High Court order?
The court ordered a meeting of at least one hour between Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi and their lawyers at Adiala Jail, and expected the lawyers not to speak about political matters afterwards.
Who are the lawyers?
Advocates Sardar Latif Khosa and Salman Safdar represent Imran and Bushra Bibi. They asked for the meeting so they could prepare arguments in the appeals.
What is the £190m case?
An accountability court convicted Imran and Bushra Bibi in January. The appeals challenge those convictions in the Islamabad High Court.
When will the court hear the case again?
The bench will take up the appeals on November 18. The lawyers have one week to prepare their brief, and the office must prepare the paper books within seven days.
Can the lawyers speak to the media?
The written order says the lawyers should confine themselves to legal issues and give no statement in public or before the media about political matters.
