The Lahore High Court (LHC) took a strong stance against the lawyers representing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief, Imran Khan. The reason: documents with allegedly forged signatures submitted to the court.
A division bench, led by Justice Aalia Neelum, raised concerns about the authenticity of Imran Khan’s legal counsel, casting doubt on their commitment to the case. Consequently, the court denied the lawyer’s request to access police records to verify Imran Khan’s arrest documentation.
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This controversy stemmed from earlier events in February when Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh had called for Imran Khan’s appearance to verify his signatures on three documents presented by his legal representatives.
These documents, the court found, contained counterfeit signatures. The case pertained to PTI challenging the dismissal of Imran Khan’s bail in seven cases, including one related to the Jinnah House attack.
Questions Raised in the Courtroom
As the recent proceedings began, the presiding judge, Justice Aalia, questioned the conduct of the lawyer representing Imran Khan. “Where is the lawyer?” she asked. Advocate Sikandar Zulqarnain explained that the lawyer was in Islamabad attending other proceedings and also acted as Imran’s lawyer in some cases.
The judge then inquired about the power of attorney. “Your signatures on the power of attorney are fake,” she asserted. The lawyer defended himself by stating that he had signed on three cases, and his clerk had signed three others. Justice Aalia commented on the seriousness of the case, highlighting the contrast when one person files a case, and another pleads it.
Following this, the court established October 25 as the specified date by which all pertinent documents must be provided. This move aims to bring clarity to the situation surrounding Imran Khan’s arrest documentation and the allegedly forged signatures on legal papers.