Pak court adjourns Army HQ attack case hearing against Imran Khan to May 29

Islamabad, May 22 (PTI) A Pakistani court on Thursday adjourned the hearing of the army headquarters attack case against jailed former prime minister Imran Khan until 29 May amid demands by his supporters to expedite legal proceedings against him.

An anti-terrorist court held the hearing at Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, where Khan has been incarcerated since 2023, facing multiple cases.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said in a WhatsApp message that the hearing was adjourned until May 29. The last hearing on the case was held on February 15.

The case was based on charges that PTI supporters, instigated by Khan, attacked the General Headquarters (GHQ), Rawalpindi, on May 9, 2023.

Khan has been facing multiple cases which were launched after his government was toppled in April 2022. Hearing of the Toshakhana case 2 about the illegal sale of state gifts was held on Wednesday, and the court adjourned it till May 26.

Separately, the PTI pressed the acting chief justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to expedite hearings on petitions seeking the suspension of sentences awarded to party founder Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, in the 190-million-pound Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.

Dawn newspaper reported that dozens of PTI workers and assembly members gathered on Wednesday at Constitution Avenue, staging a protest and demanding the release of Khan. Later, they ended the protest but vowed to return next week when the hearing of the Al Qadir case is expected to be held.

According to the party’s lawyer, Shoaib Shaheen, the acting chief justice had assured them that the case would be scheduled next week.

PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan, talking to the media, called for an end to what he termed the unjust incarceration of Khan.

In another development, the investigation team, on the second consecutive day on Thursday, failed to conduct a polygraph test of Khan in connection with nine cases of violent protests registered against him on May 9, 2023.

The team came from Lahore and visited the Adiala Jail to conduct the test, but Khan refused to oblige and demanded that his legal team be present on the occasion. He also cited a constitutional provision under which one can’t be forced to testify. PTI SH SCY SCY