ISLAMABAD - Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday passed the observation to Special Judge Central (Court-I) Shahrukh Arjumand to decide the post-arrest bail of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi within 5 days as stated by the National Judicial (policy-making) Committee.
The special courts follow the policy of sessions court, and according to the policy, it has to decide the post-arrest bail in 5 days. The policy for the trial court is 3 days and 7 days for High Courts respectively, read the order.
A writ petition was filed earlier this week by the legal team of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi. According to the order by Justice Aurangzeb, the petitioners’ grievance is that the adjudication of their post-arrest bail petitions is being delayed for reasons not attributable to them. The counsel for the petitioners sought direction to the trial court for an early decision on the post-arrest bail petitions. On the other hand, the Special Prosecutor, FIA, submitted that the post-arrest bail petitions would be decided by the trial court in due course.
It was pleaded in IHC that Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan were acquitted in the Unlawful Marriage Case by Additional District and Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka on July 13, 2024, and after the acquittal, Bushra Bibi was no more required in any other case but NAB had arrested her the same day in an inquiry of Toshakhana 2.0 case and a reference was filed later. After September 6 Supreme Court ruling in which the NAB amendment 2023 was upheld, and Toshakhana 2.0 case went out of the NAB’s jurisdiction and was transferred to Special Court Central.
When the case was transferred to Special Judge Central Court - Amjad Ranjha went on a 5-day leave and later the case was transferred to High Court as OSD, and Sessions Judge (East) Shahrukh Arjumand from District Courts Islamabad was appointed as Special Judge Central Court-I. The trial and post-arrest bail applications are pending before this court.