Supreme Court hears review petition on PTI leader’s right of defence

A three-judge panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Ayesha Malik, met on Thursday to consider a review petition filed by Imran Khan, founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI). At the hearing, PTI’s legal representative Ali Zafar argued that under law, the plaintiff must first file an application for terminating the defendant’s right of defence in defamation cases. He insisted no such request had been made in this specific case.

Zafar further alleged that while a lower court initiated proceedings to terminate PTI founder Imran Khan’s defense despite lacking legal authority, he questioned whether the trial court had taken any action or imposed fines due to the late submission of initial replies by PTI. He noted that although such an omission could lead to penalties under law, none were enforced in this case.

Justice Hashim Kakar sat on the bench and pointed out that Imran Khan’s reply was submitted four years past the deadline set by court procedures. Justice Ayesha Malik probed further into the matter, seeking clarification if the trial court had invoked its discretionary powers to penalize the defendant for non-compliance with procedural rules.

The hearing aimed at ensuring adherence to legal protocols and safeguarding the rights of both plaintiffs and defendants within the defamation case involving Imran Khan.