IHC adjourns Imran Khan's contempt case until after Eid

A case involving former Prime Minister Imran Khan regarding his jail conditions was a focus of attention in the Islamabad High Court (IHC). Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan stated that he did not want to embarrass any judges and adjourned the hearing until after the Eid holidays. The hearing addressed a previous decision in which the petition from PTI lawyer Mashal Yousafazi was transferred to a larger bench without consent. This unexpected move caused controversy. The larger bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Sarfraz Dogar, also acknowledged the issue and is set to review a petition related to Khan’s jail facilities on March 24. Justice Ishaq raised concerns about whether proper legal procedures were followed during the case transfer. He emphasized that notices need to be sent to all relevant parties and pointed out that initial objections to the transfer were later ignored by the registrar’s office. The judge mentioned that not adhering to judicial protocol could result in serious consequences. During the hearing, various legal representatives were present, including the Advocate General for Islamabad. The Attorney General admitted that no notices were provided to other parties, aligning with the judge's worries about the procedural errors. Justice Ishaq highlighted the need for clarity in judicial practices and recommended that judge accountability should be public knowledge. He plans to issue a detailed judgment to address the legal uncertainties surrounding the case. Meanwhile, the larger bench is looking into how often Imran Khan meets with visitors in jail. The jail superintendent revealed that Khan had meetings that were outside the approved schedule, prompting the bench to request a detailed report on visitor logs and meeting procedures. The hearing in this matter was also postponed until March 24.