Court orders Adiala jail authorities to produce Imran Khan, Qureshi

• Judicial magistrate wants Imran, Qureshi produced on April 20.
• Khan is not even presented for hearing via video link, Panjotha says.
• Lawyer says jail authorities make excuses to not present Khan.

ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court Friday approved a request seeking to produce Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and party leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi in court, directing authorities to ensure the politicians' production on April 20.

The petition, requesting their production, was heard by Judicial Magistrate Mureed Abbas in relation to the Parliament attack case against Imran Khan and others, in which the former prime minister's lawyer, Naeem Panjotha, gave his arguments.

The lawyer, during the hearing, argued that the Superintendent of Adiala jail does not obey the order of any court. He insisted the court to ensure that the jail officials adhere to the orders and produce Khan.

He added that jail authorities make excuses and the PTI founder is not even presented for a hearing via video link.

The judicial magistrate, following Panjotha's arguments, said Khan is in Adiala jail and the situation is different, and while the option of video link is there, the attendance takes place in the e-court.

The former premier's counsel said the court should order to present Khan in the courtroom. 

"The High Court ruled that a meeting with a political leader can be done on video link."

Panjotha added that the internet works in Adiala jail, but only in the case of PTI founder, it stops working.

"Superintendent Adiala jail is afraid to bring PTI founder on video link," the counsel said.

Earlier this week, Panjotha had filed a petition in the court regarding the production of his client for the hearing pertaining to his acquitted in two cases related to vandalism during long march.

Judicial Magistrate Shaista Kundi of the district and sessions court, however, rejected the plea citing security concerns.

"Who will be responsible if something happens on the way while bringing PTI founder to court?" the judicial magistrate remarked.

The lawyer argued that Khan has been appearing at the court on his own earlier too.

"It is the government's job to provide security," he said, adding that PTI founder's legal team wanted to give their arguments in his presence.

"Attendance on bail would have been necessary," the judicial magistrate maintained, rejecting the plea.