SC summons Imran Khan in senior lawyer's murder case on July 24

• Justice Naqvi says petitioner should appear in person to get relief.
• Lawyer informs court PTI chief would appear in SC in an hour.
• Justice Afridi says govt's lawyer submitting reply first would be better.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) Thursday summoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in a personal capacity on July 24, in the case related to the murder of a senior lawyer Abdul Razzaq Shar in Quetta.

The former prime minister, who is embroiled in a slew of cases, had moved the apex court against his nomination in the case related to Shar's shooting in Quetta in June.

Advocate Shar was gunned down by unidentified people on three motorcycles while he was on his way to the Balochistan High Court (BHC) on June 6.

A first information report (FIR) had been registered against Khan and others on the complaint of the slain lawyer’s son advocate, Siraj Ahmed, in Quetta, under the charges of murder, Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and other provisions.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Ataullah Tarar held the PTI chairman “directly responsible” for the murder, claiming that the targeted killing was related to a treason case against Imran under Article 6 of the Constitution, which Shar was pleading.

A three-member bench comprising Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Mussarat Hilali heard Khan's plea. 

"The petitioner has to surrender before the court to get relief," Justice Afridi remarked during the hearing. 

The justice told Khan's lawyer to tell the PTI chief to appear before the court in a personal capacity.

Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi inquired if the former premier could appear today.

At this, lawyer Latif Khosa informed the court that Khan would appear in the SC in an hour.

Meanwhile, Justice Afridi remarked that it would be better if the government's lawyer submitted their reply first.

The lawyers representing complainants of the case said that the case was about the PTI chief's appearance before the joint investigation team (JIT) of the murder case.

Khan's lawyer responded to the argument by saying that the defence does not acknowledge the JIT in a murder case.

At this, Justice Naqvi told the lawyer to take the matter seriously, saying that the petitioner is supposed to appear in person to acquire bail or orders for quashing the FIR.

Later, the court adjourned the hearing till July 24, ordering PTI chief to appear at 10:30am.

Khan had filed a plea in the SC seeking the quashing of the FIR that nominated him in the murder case of the advocate Abdul Razzak. Besides bail in the case, he also requested to set aside the Balochistan High Court’s (BHC) decision to reject a similar petition.

However, the two-member bench of the SC comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsen and Justice Ayesha A Malik rejected Khan's bail plea and refused to suspend the BHC's order without hearing other parties in the matter.

The court held that a two-member bench of the apex court cannot suspend the order passed by the learned high court’s two-member bench, directing the PTI chief to approach the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) for fixation of the case before a three-member bench.