Will there be any effect of Azam Khan returning and giving a statement after his disappearance? Chief Justice Amir Farooq
The Islamabad High Court has asked the FIA prosecutor to start the arguments tomorrow, if you need more time, suspend the sentence.
In the High Court, a hearing was held on the appeal against the conviction of founder PTI and Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the cipher case. Founder PTI lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar and FIA Special Prosecutor Hamid Ali Shah appeared.
Chief Justice Amir Farooq remarked that one of the five one-c and one-d charges should be laid.
Lawyer Salman Safdar argued that the cipher was in the custody of Azam Khan, he received the cipher, was the cipher given to the Prime Minister or not? Did the Prime Minister take it or not? It did not come in the evidence of the prosecution, my position is that the cipher copy was lost from the Prime Minister’s office, this is what Azam Khan said, according to the mechanism, if the cipher is lost, it must be reported to the Ministry of External Affairs, the departmental inquiry of the Ministry of External Affairs. The higher officers should have done it which did not happen, no reminder came from the Ministry of External Affairs which should have come, on March 28 the Ministry of External Affairs was told by the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of External Affairs should have informed the IB immediately which was not done. , if their main charge does not stand, then the charge of negligence cannot stand, my point is there is nothing on record that the cipher copy was handed over to us.
Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb asked why this charge of negligence or intentionality was not brought against Azam Khan.
Salman Safdar replied that the charge lies on the accused, when he made the accused a witness, he himself spoiled his case.
Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb inquired that the security of the cipher is so that no one can see it, has anyone seen that cipher?
Lawyer Salman Safdar replied that no, even I did not see, no witness said anything related to his text.
Lawyer Salman Safdar argued that the procedure was not followed before Azam Khan was made a witness, Azam Khan was a named accused in the FIR, therefore his statement is not valid, when Azam Khan’s statement of 164 was made, the cross-examination The right was not given, Azam Khan was made a witness from the accused without any procedure.
Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb said that we are taking what you are saying very seriously.
Chief Justice Amir Farooq said that tell us something on the basis of which we should accept your argument. Will there be any effect of Azam Khan returning and giving a statement after his disappearance?
Lawyer Salman Safdar said that Azam Khan’s statement is not reliable. Salman Safdar completed the arguments.
FIA requested the prosecutor to give three to four days time for arguments.
The court rejected the plea and directed the FIA prosecutor to start the arguments from tomorrow, if you want more time, we will suspend the sentence tomorrow, then you can take as much time as you want.
The court adjourned further hearing of the case till tomorrow.
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