Pakistan SC to hear lawyer murder case against former PM Imran Khan on August 9

Aug 08, 2023

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 8 : The Supreme Court of Pakistan will resume the hearing of the murder case of a Senior Supreme Court lawyer Abdul Razzaq Shar against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday, reported ARY News. 
A three-member bench headed by Justice Yahya Afridi will resume the hearing. 
Moreover, Imran Khan has submitted the additional to the Supreme Court, reported ARY News. 
During the last hearing of the case, the Supreme Court bench summoned the PTI chairman Imran Khan to appear before it on August 9. 
However, Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday barred the authorities from arresting Imran Khan until August 9 in a case related to the murder of a lawyer in Quetta, Pakistan-based The Express Tribune reported.
The PTI chief was booked in Advocate Abdul Razzaq Shar's murder case on June 7, registered at the Shaheed Jameel Kakar police station under the charges of murder, terrorism and others, according to ARY News.
Abdul Razzaq Shar was shot dead on Tuesday at Airport Road in Quetta and the case was registered on the complaint of the deceased’s son.
Advocate Shar had submitted an application against Imran Khan, seeking registration of a treason case against him for violating the Constitution.
However, the case could not be heard due to the absence of the bench while members of the legal fraternity boycotted court proceedings against the killing of the senior lawyer.
The cricketer-turned-politician had approached Supreme Court against the case. During the last hearing, the apex court had directed Imran Khan to appear before the bench in person, The Express Tribune reported.
During the hearing, the Balochistan government lawyer requested the court to at least ask the PTI chairman to appear before the joint interrogation team (JIT). Justice Afridi said that the court at present will not issue any such order.
Justice Hilali said that the petitioner had challenged the contents of the FIR. The petitioner's lawyer Latif Khosa called JIT "controversial" and said, "We do not accept it", The Express Tribune reported.
Earlier, the IG Balochistan submitted the investigation report of Shar's murder case to the court. The report stated that as per the FIR, the victim was being threatened with filing a petition under Article 6 against Imran Khan.
According to the report, during the investigation, a seven-member JIT was formed by Pakistan's Interior Ministry on June 8. Since then, JIT has held eight meetings under the chairmanship of DIG CTD, The Express Tribune reported.
The JIT had decided to probe four people in connection with the matter, one of which was former Pakistan PM, according to the report. Summons notices were sent to Imran Khan on June 19 in this regard.