The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has established a bench to address a disqualification case against Imran Khan, founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), for allegedly failing to disclose his daughter, Tyrian White, in the nomination papers for the 2018 general elections, as reported by The News on Saturday.
The bench, consisting of Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Arbab Mohammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, is scheduled to hear the case on May 21.
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This case has been pending since May 2023 after the original three-member bench was dissolved by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq. This decision followed the release of differing opinions from two judges regarding the plea’s maintainability on the court’s website.
The original bench, comprising IHC CJ Aamer Farooq, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, and Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, had reserved the verdict on March 30 of the previous year. However, Justices Kayani and Tahir had deemed the petition non-maintainable, and their opinions were published on the IHC website, only to be later removed. The court clarified that without the signature of bench head Justice Farooq, the opinions of the two judges could not be considered the bench’s verdict and thus were not validly published.
A new bench has now been formed, with IHC CJ Justice Aamer Farooq recusing himself from participation. Justice Tahir, who previously declared the petition non-maintainable, remains part of the new bench.
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The case was initiated by petitioner Mohammad Sajid, who accused Imran Khan of not disclosing his alleged daughter, Tyrian, in his 2018 election nomination papers. Sajid claimed that Khan provided incorrect information, listing only two of his three children in the documents submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Sajid’s lawyers argued that Khan did not declare Tyrian as his daughter in the affidavit submitted to the ECP. The petitioner further alleged that Khan did not marry Sita White, Tyrian’s mother, because White’s father had threatened to disinherit her if she married Khan. According to the petition, titled “Imran versus Imran — the Untold Story,” Tyrian’s custody was given to Jemima Goldsmith, Khan’s former wife.
The petition stated that Sita White had named Jemima as Tyrian’s guardian in her will dated February 27, 2004. Sita White passed away on May 13 of that year. It also cited a paternity judgment from a superior court in California, which confirmed Khan as Tyrian’s father.
Initially, Khan participated in the proceedings but later withdrew after being asked to undergo a blood test.