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Islamabad banking court summons Imran Khan on February 28 in prohibited funding case

ISLAMABAD, Feb 24 (SABAH): A banking court in the federal capital summoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan in the prohibited funding case.

Special Judge Rakhshanda Shaheen ordered the former premier to appear before the court on February 28. During the hearing, the legal team of the PTI chief submitted a copy of the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) order.

In the light of the IHC order, the judge has summoned Imran Khan in personal capacity next week to attend hearing in the case.

Earlier, Imran Khan had written a letter to the investigation officer of the prohibited funding case, requesting that his statement be recorded via a letter.

In the letter, he mentioned that a case was registered against him “without inquiry”, and he was subjected to an assassination attempt during the march to Islamabad.

Imran said that he suffered multiple injuries due to bullets and was hospitalised and a case was registered on the matter.

Imran pointed out that he wrote letters to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Dec 3, Jan 30, and Feb 4, requesting them to record his statement through a video link or a letter.

The former prime minister further said that he requested the FIA to send its team to Lahore for investigation and the agency assured the banking court to cooperate with him.

However, he claimed, despite repeated requests, the FIA did not cooperate.

Several courts, including the Islamabad High Court (IHC), ruled his medical reports to be fine, he added. The former premier claimed that the agency was operating on the whims of the federal government. He remarked that he wanted to join the case proceedings via letter.

On Wednesday, a division bench of the Islamabad High Court, comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, turned down a plea filed by the PTI chief seeking permission for his attendance in the banking court through a video link in the funding case. The high court directed him to appear before Judge Rakhshanda Shaheen on Feb 28.

Furthermore, the bench extended its stay order that bars the banking court from deciding on a bail petition of the PTI chief in the case. The development comes after the special court on Feb 15 rejected Imran Khan’s plea seeking exemption from physical appearance in the case.