ISLAMABAD - An accountability court in Islamabad on Thursday barred PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi from issuing statements against state institutions and officials.
Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana set new rules for the jail trial of incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi under trial in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case.
Judge Nasir Javed Rana ordered jail authorities to restore courtroom to its pre-Eid settings by removing the additional structures installed. The order also prohibits the accused persons from making any political, inflammatory, and/or derogatory statements against state institutions and the officials insinuating anything to them. For the media, it was ordered, “The media persons shall continue their reporting to the proceedings of the trial and shall not publish/report any statement made in the trial proceedings as a witness or as counsel.”
Through the court order, dated April 19th, Judge Rana responded to the application filed by the senior council of Bushra Bibi, Barrister Salman Safdar who requested the judge to take off hindrances and obstacles put by jail authorities in media cabin refraining media from trial coverage. It was also pleaded in the application that under Section 352 CrPC the additional walls in the media cabin didn’t fulfill the requirements of an open trial. The court order mentioned the report from jail authorities which stated that, “Despite several verbal requests to refrain from media talks, accused Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi, often gets indulged with the media persons whereby he not only discusses the political affairs but also severely criticizes the government and it’s functionaries which are often, of very personal nature and when reported in media and other platforms of social media, may create certain misunderstandings in the masses.”
Judge Rana further ordered in the light of jail authorities’ report that “The court finds that accused Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi is allegedly making political and inflammatory statements prejudicial to the dignity of esteemed state institutions. Such statement, as directed towards the judiciary, Pakistan Army and the army chief, disrupts the court decorum and impairs the administration of justice.”
Judge Rana also stated in the order that the prosecution, accused, defence counsel, and family members of the accused are directed to refrain from making prejudicial and derogatory political statements, which undermine the court’s decorum and proper administration of justice. The media was also ordered to report the court proceedings objectively and factually, abstaining from airing or publishing political and inflammatory narratives that target the state institution and officials, etc. It has also been stated that this order is subjected to PEMRA guidelines which also prohibit talking about subjudice matters.
