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The Lahore High Court has revived a writ petition filed by jailed PTI founding chairman Imran Khan seeking the consolidation of all cases registered against him, Dawn reported. The petition, originally filed in 2023, had earlier been dismissed for non-prosecution.
Chief Justice Aalia Neelum accepted an application submitted on Khan's behalf requesting the restoration of the petition. Following the order, the court scheduled the matter for hearing on Tuesday. During an earlier appearance, a law officer informed the bench that 107 cases linked to the May 9 violence were still pending against the PTI founder. According to Dawn, Khan had approached the court in 2023, before his conviction in the Toshakhana reference, arguing that the FIRs were politically motivated and that many involved overlapping accusations across Punjab. The petition also noted that multiple hearings had been fixed on the same day in different districts, making it impossible for him to appear before several courts simultaneously. It requested consolidation to ensure practical access to justice. As Khan seeks this consolidation, the Islamabad High Court had on October 24 ordered the implementation of its earlier directives regarding jail visits for the PTI founder, Dunya News reported. The court instructed that all meetings for Khan be conducted strictly according to the approved schedule and directed the Adiala Jail superintendent to ensure immediate compliance. A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar, Justice Arbab Tahir and Justice Azam Khan emphasised that all visits must follow the security policy orders. The bench referred to its March 24 ruling and directed jail authorities to adhere to the issued permits and established procedures. The Islamabad High Court further ordered that all future meetings continue under the same protocol and noted that Salman Akram Raja, whose visitor list will be provided, is to be facilitated in accordance with the court's directions. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi was also present at the court and later proceeded to Adiala Jail to meet the PTI founder. Earlier, the IHC registrar's office had issued notices to the advocates general of Islamabad and Punjab, the Punjab prosecutor general, the Punjab inspector general of police and the inspector general of prisons. The Women Medical Officer and Superintendent of Adiala Jail were also summoned. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir later overruled objections raised by the registrar's office on Chief Minister Afridi's petition seeking permission to meet Khan in jail. Advocate Ali Bukhari appeared on behalf of the petitioner, while the plea was filed through Advocate General Shah Faisal, Dawn reported. The petition sought court intervention to allow the meeting to discuss governance matters and cabinet formation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The registrar's office had earlier objected, noting that similar petitions had already been decided, but Advocate Bukhari argued that fresh legal grounds existed since the cabinet had not yet been constituted. Justice Tahir dismissed the objections and issued notices to the interior secretary, the inspector general of police and the Superintendent of Adiala Jail, directing them to submit replies by October 23. Earlier, on March 25, a larger bench of the IHC comprising Acting Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Sarfaraz Dogar, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Mohammad Azam Khan had reinstated the twice-a-week visitation schedule for Khan while barring visitors from issuing media statements after meetings. (ANI)
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