SC fixes Imran Khan's disqualification case hearing for Sept 12

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan will resume hearing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan's disqualification case from Septemeber 12.

The hearing will resume under the same three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Umar Ata Bindial.

The petition to disqualify Imran Khan was  filed by PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi  for concealing assets and violating Income Tax Ordinance.

During the last hearing, Abbasi’s counsel Akram Sheikh argued that the London flat was owned by Niazi Services, not by Imran Khan. He added that the flat was declared in amnesty scheme with false intentions, adding that the scheme was for individuals and not for companies.

Chief Justice remarked that Imran Khan was neither a shareholder nor an administrator of the offshore company, adding, “We want to know about real owner of the flat as according to Imran Khan he is a beneficial owner of the flat”.

Khan declared the flat which was not owned by him, Sheikh said, adding that Niazi Services was established in October 1983 and remained functional till 2015.

Justice Bandial observed that Imran Khan had claimed receiving no money from the tenant.

The suspicion of dishonesty never emerge if there is transparency, Akram said and inquired whether or not declaring the offshore company would come under dishonesty.

He added that PTI lawyer submitted fake documents to the court, adding that four different stances were adopted regarding the land of Bani Gala.

During arguments, Akram Sheikh termed Bani Gala as “Taj Mahal”, besides adding that Imran Khan did not declare Rs14,500,000 for the land.

In response, the Chief Justice remarked that it was necessary to declare loans.

Justice Faisal Arab questioned whether Article 60 could be imposed on someone who did not declare the amount borrowed from another person.

The Chief Justice observed that Khan declared his Bani Gala property in the nomination papers for the elections in 2002.

The case was adjourned until Septemeber with no specific date given for the next hearing as Abbasi's counsel Akram Sheikh sought leave to go for pilgrimage.

Additionally, Justice Faisal Arab, too, went on leave and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Justice Saqib Nisar had to travel to Quetta.

Before the case was adjourned in August, the bench had also summoned, for the second time, a copy of Imran Khan’s passport for verification of the ‘non-resident’ status.