NATIONAL ( The cow news digital ) A bench of the Islamabad High Court hearing a petition filed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi regarding a meeting with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has been dissolved, causing a procedural setback in the case.
The case involved a request by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and Adviser on Finance Muzammil Aslam seeking permission to consult Imran Khan on the provincial budget. The petition was heard by Justice Khadim Hussain Sumeru, who was examining objections raised by the court’s registrar office.
During the proceedings, the registrar office informed the court that a larger bench had already been constituted to hear cases related to jail meetings and similar petitions. The office maintained that such matters fall under the jurisdiction of the designated larger bench, which is currently hearing related cases.
Counsel Ali Bukhari argued before the court that the petition was the first of its kind seeking consultation specifically for budget matters. He also submitted records of previous petitions related to jail meetings to support the argument that the matter required fresh consideration.
However, the court noted in its written order that the registrar’s report confirmed the existence of similar pending cases before the larger bench. In light of this, the bench observed that the appropriate course of action was to refer the matter to the Chief Justice for further orders and administrative determination.
The case has now been forwarded to the Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court to decide the appropriate forum for its hearing. As a result, the current bench has effectively ceased hearing the petition, leaving the matter pending reallocation.
Meanwhile, separate legal proceedings concerning restrictions on prison meetings were also heard in the Supreme Court. During that hearing, the court directed that an appeal related to contempt proceedings be scheduled within three weeks, signaling continued judicial scrutiny over restrictions on meetings with the former prime minister.
The issue of jail meetings with Imran Khan has remained a recurring legal and political matter, with multiple petitions filed in various courts seeking access for political and administrative consultations.
Legal observers note that the latest development reflects ongoing procedural complexities within the judiciary regarding jurisdiction and bench allocation in politically sensitive cases.
