Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has filed a petition with the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking virtual trial in all cases pending in the capital’s judiciary. Mr. Khan has cited security concerns as the main reason for requesting to conduct his trial through a video link facility. The petition states that Mr. Khan is facing serious threats to his life, and his personal appearance before trial courts disrupts routine proceedings in other courts.
The petition requests the court to issue directions for Mr. Khan’s pending trials to be conducted through Skype or other video link facilities. However, the IHC registrar’s office has raised an objection to his petition, stating that Mr. Khan is required to file applications before the relevant trial courts before seeking relief from the high court.
The IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq will hear arguments of the petitioner’s counsel on Thursday. In a previous hearing of his petition against the issuance of an arrest warrant by a trial court in Toshakhana case, Mr. Khan’s counsel raised the issue of security threats and the possibility of virtual trial.
The petition also requests the court to direct the Islamabad police and National Highways and Motorway police to arrange foolproof security for Mr. Khan’s appearance in trial courts and before the IHC. The high court had granted Mr. Khan pre-arrest interim bail on Feb 28, and he is scheduled to appear in person before the IHC on Thursday to pursue his bail plea in the case related to manhandling of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Mohsin Nawaz Ranjah. The hearing for this matter will resume on 9th Mar 2023 (Thursday at 3 pm).