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ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court is announcing its earlier-reserved judgment in the disqualification case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairperson Imran Khan and secretary general Jahangir Tareen.
The three-member bench had reserved the verdict against the two PTI leaders on November 14. The decision was expected to be announced at 2pm today but took around an hour-and-a-half's delay.
As the judges took their seats, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar apologised for the delay and explained that there was a mistake on one page so all 250 pages of the judgment had to be read again.
He remarked further that the judgment should be heard with patience, adding that all the evidence was examined carefully.
Reading the judgment, the chief justice ruled that Imran is not disqualified as a parliamentarian as the petitioner was not a
Imran is in Karachi on party business and presently chairing a meeting at a private hotel. According to reports, Tareen had left for Islamabad on Thursday evening. However, other PTI leaders are present in the court for the verdict.
Similarly, senior leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), including the petitioner of the case Hanif Abbasi, are present in the packed courtroom.
Several workers of both parties are present outside the court and chanting slogans in their favour. A heavy police contingent is also present to control the situation in case of any adverse development.
Walking into the court, PTI leader Firdous Ashiq Awan said the "rule of law will prevail" today.
State Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb made similar comments while entering the court.
The case
The case was being heard by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar, who headed the three-member bench, which included Justices Umar Ata Bandial and Faisal Arab.
On Oct 18, the chief justice had announced that the verdict of both the cases will be given together.
The petition, filed by PML-N's Abbasi, sought Tareen and Imran's disqualification over non-disclosure of their assets and ownership of offshore companies.
Abbasi had filed the petition in November last year. It accused the PTI leaders of not declaring their assets to the Election Commission of Pakistan and violations of the lncome Tax Ordinance, 1979, and Peoples Act, 1974. It also claimed that the PTI is a 'foreign-funded' party.
The hearings
In the earlier hearings, the court observed while hearing Tareen's case, that he is the beneficial owner of the offshore company, Shiny View Ltd.
Justice Bandial noted that it is clear in the trust deed submitted by Tareen that there are two lifetime beneficiaries of the trust.
During the hearing on November 9, the chief justice observed that Tareen has already served his punishment according to the law.
Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali presented his arguments before the bench, saying Tareen’s counsel challenged two sections of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Act.
He added that the fine imposed on Tareen by SECP in 2008 for insider trading has been submitted in the national kitty and there is no point objecting to the law after 10 years.
Tareen also provided the court the trust deed regarding a 12-acre property — Hyde House — he owns in the United Kingdom.
The case against Imran is related to the bank account detail of his offshore company, Niazi Services Limited, and the sale of his London flat and subsequent purchase of his Bani Gala estate in Islamabad.
Imran became a member of the National Assembly from Rawalpindi's NA-56 constituency after defeating Abbasi, the petitioner in the case, while Tareen had bagged the NA-156 constituency of Lodhran, Punjab.
The three-member bench had reserved the verdict against the two PTI leaders on November 14. The decision was expected to be announced at 2pm today but took around an hour-and-a-half's delay.
As the judges took their seats, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar apologised for the delay and explained that there was a mistake on one page so all 250 pages of the judgment had to be read again.
He remarked further that the judgment should be heard with patience, adding that all the evidence was examined carefully.
Reading the judgment, the chief justice ruled that Imran is not disqualified as a parliamentarian as the petitioner was not a
Imran is in Karachi on party business and presently chairing a meeting at a private hotel. According to reports, Tareen had left for Islamabad on Thursday evening. However, other PTI leaders are present in the court for the verdict.
Similarly, senior leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), including the petitioner of the case Hanif Abbasi, are present in the packed courtroom.
Several workers of both parties are present outside the court and chanting slogans in their favour. A heavy police contingent is also present to control the situation in case of any adverse development.
Walking into the court, PTI leader Firdous Ashiq Awan said the "rule of law will prevail" today.
State Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb made similar comments while entering the court.
The case
The case was being heard by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar, who headed the three-member bench, which included Justices Umar Ata Bandial and Faisal Arab.
On Oct 18, the chief justice had announced that the verdict of both the cases will be given together.
The petition, filed by PML-N's Abbasi, sought Tareen and Imran's disqualification over non-disclosure of their assets and ownership of offshore companies.
Abbasi had filed the petition in November last year. It accused the PTI leaders of not declaring their assets to the Election Commission of Pakistan and violations of the lncome Tax Ordinance, 1979, and Peoples Act, 1974. It also claimed that the PTI is a 'foreign-funded' party.
The hearings
In the earlier hearings, the court observed while hearing Tareen's case, that he is the beneficial owner of the offshore company, Shiny View Ltd.
Justice Bandial noted that it is clear in the trust deed submitted by Tareen that there are two lifetime beneficiaries of the trust.
During the hearing on November 9, the chief justice observed that Tareen has already served his punishment according to the law.
Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali presented his arguments before the bench, saying Tareen’s counsel challenged two sections of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Act.
He added that the fine imposed on Tareen by SECP in 2008 for insider trading has been submitted in the national kitty and there is no point objecting to the law after 10 years.
Tareen also provided the court the trust deed regarding a 12-acre property — Hyde House — he owns in the United Kingdom.
The case against Imran is related to the bank account detail of his offshore company, Niazi Services Limited, and the sale of his London flat and subsequent purchase of his Bani Gala estate in Islamabad.
Imran became a member of the National Assembly from Rawalpindi's NA-56 constituency after defeating Abbasi, the petitioner in the case, while Tareen had bagged the NA-156 constituency of Lodhran, Punjab.
