The next hearing of the case will now be held on Monday, July 24.
During Saturday's hearing in the criminal case against Imran in the Toshakhana reference, Additional District And Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar heard arguments from PTI lawyer Gohar Ali Khan and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) lawyer Amjad Pervez. Two witnesses in the case, ECP Finance Wing Officer Mussadiq Anwar and District Election Commissioner Waqas Malik, were also present.
Gohar presented an application to exempt the PTI chief from personally appearing in the case and to postpone Saturday's hearing until Monday.
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However, ECP's lawyer Pervez argued that on Monday, Imran had to appear in the Supreme Court. Hence he would be unable to make it to the hearing. He urged the court to direct Imran to submit a sworn statement in court and with instructions to appear in this court after his appearance before the Supreme Court.
When Judge Dilawar posed this question to Imran Khan's lawyer, he confirmed that the PTI chief had to appear before the top court over cases registered in Quetta.
Judge Dilawar remarked that the case file is full of exemption applications from the former prime minister. He added that the case was supposed to hold hearings daily, but Imran has constantly objected to this.
We have always approved your request for exemption, but your client has not once bothered to appear before this court, Judge Dilawar remarked.
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He subsequently approved Gohar's application to exempt Imran from personal appearance in the court for a day but directed him to appear on Monday after his appearance in the Supreme Court.
It is pertinent to note here that on July 18, Imran Khan and his lawyer had expressed a lack of confidence in Judge Dilawar to hear proceedings in the matter. Gohar had also shown certain posts allegedly made by Judge Dilawar on Facebook that betrayed bias.
Judge Dilawar, while confirming that he had an account on the popular social media network, he denied that such a post had been made on the account.
He advised the lawyer to first complete a forensic analysis of the post before presenting it at a serious forum.
The judge went on to remark that the way PTI's trolls target people on social media, Gohar had attempted to do the same in court.
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Gohar, though, argued that until an inquiry into the matter is conducted and concluded, it was not appropriate for the judge to hear the case.
He went on to argue that they have a right to a fair trial.
Imran's request to transfer the case to a different court, however, was turned down.