Daily Times

The Islamabad High Court has allowed senior PML-N politician Khawaja Asif the ability to cross-examine Prime Minister Imran Khan in the defamation case, Daily Times reported.

On Thursday, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard Kh Asif’s appeal challenging a session’s court judgment barring the petitioner from cross-examining the Prime Minister in the defamation case involving the use of the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust monies.

While accepting Khawaja Asif’s application, Justice Minallah authorized his lawyer to cross-examine the prime minister.

Khawaja Asif challenged the sessions court decision in the Islamabad High Court.

The CJ maintained that the IHC would order the trial court to decide the case in two months. He said that the case should be heard regularly and decisions must be taken on time.

Justice Minallah asked Khawaja Asif’s lawyer why he was unnecessarily pending the case. He responded that it’s better if care must be shown while taking up such unnecessary cases.

The judge further asked whether issues had been framed in this case.

Asif’s lawyer answered in affirmative.

While addressing PM Imran’s lawyer, the judge said to him that cross-examining was the other party’s right. He remarked that the trial court should have fixed the next date for cross-examination then it would have been regarded as a fair trial.

Imran’s lawyer told the court that the other party did not come to the court for the last year.

The judge wondered that the statement was recorded on December 17, how could the sessions court refuse their right of cross-examination on that very day.