The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday rejected a petition seeking the disqualification of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan in connection with the Tyrian White case. The petition, filed by Advocate Hamid Ali Shah, alleged that Khan had failed to disclose White as his daughter in the nomination papers submitted for the 2018 general elections.
A new bench of the IHC, comprising Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Arbab Mohammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, heard the case. The bench dismissed the petition, citing a previous decision and majority opinion.
The case had been pending since May 2023, when a three-member bench hearing the case was dissolved by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq. The decision was taken after the opinions of two judges regarding the plea’s maintainability were uploaded on the court website. However, the opinions were later removed, and the bench was reconstituted through a press release.
During the hearing, Khan’s lawyer, Naeem Haider Panjhuta, argued that the matter had already been settled and the verdict was uploaded on the website. However, the bench pointed out that the opinion of two judges could not be declared the bench verdict without the signatures of the bench head, Justice Farooq.
Advocate Shah requested time to prepare and assist the court, but Justice Jahangiri questioned how the court could provide relief when the petition had already been dismissed. The court explained that the disqualification plea against Khan had already been dismissed by the bench, and the majority decision had already been issued.
This decision is a significant development in the ongoing political landscape of Pakistan, where Imran Khan and his party, PTI, have been facing several challenges. The Tyrian White case has been a controversial issue, with allegations of concealment of nomination papers and questions about Imran Khan’s eligibility to hold public office.
Related Keywords: Islamabad High Court, Imran Khan, PTI, Tyrian White, Disqualification Petition, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Arbab Mohammad Tahir, Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq.
