Islamabad: The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the government to arrange video link facility for incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan to present his arguments in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) amendment case.
A five-member larger bench of the apex court headed by CJP Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Ameenuddin, Justice Jamal Mandokhel, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi, heard intra-court appeals filed by the government against the verdict declaring the NAB amendments null and void.
“The PTI founder can present his arguments in the upcoming hearing via video link if he wishes to do so,” CJP Isa remarked and ordered, “Arrangements should be made for presentation of Khan’s arguments via video link on May 16.
The attorney general of Pakistan, however, said that ex-PTI chairman had not appeared in the court in connection with the case even once. “Therefore, there is no need to summon him in person.”
Justice Athar Minallah said that the former prime minister ought to have been produced in the court.
“After all, he had filed the petition against NAB amendments. How can we stop him from appearing in the court,” the judge remarked.
NAB misused its powers without any fear of accountability. “The bureau was used for political engineering,” he maintained, adding, “Imran is himself a NAB’s victim.”
Last year, a three-member bench of the apex court had approved former prime minister Khan’s petition challenging amendments made to the country’s accountability laws during the tenure of the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government.