ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court directed former prime minister Imran Khan on Thursday to submit before it in person before asking for annulment of an FIR and warrants of arrest issued over the murder of Abdul Razzaq Shar, a lawyer, in Quetta.

Headed by Justice Yahya Afridi, a three-judge Supreme Court bench asked the petitioner to surrender himself before the apex court on Monday (July 24). Otherwise, the relief being sought cannot be extended.

On July 4, the Supreme Court had suggested Imran Khan’s counsel approach the CJP for an early hearing of his plea seeking quashment of the FIR since the two-judge bench, which heard the case previously, did not have the powers to overturn the rejection, by the Balochistan High Court of his petition for quashing the FIR in the lawyer’s murder case.

Sardar Abdul Latif Khosa, Imran Khan’s counsel, filed a two-page application stressing that the court hear the matter urgently since the petitioner “apprehends coercive action on part of the authorities”.

A three-judge bench, consisting of Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Mussarat Hilali, took up the matter on Thursday and told Mr Khosa that the PTI chairman must surrender before the court before seeking any interim relief.

Latif Khosa argued, however, that his client had rejected the constitution of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe the murder of the Quetta lawyer, but the court explained that in cases like the one being heard, a petitioner had to come in person to seek any relief.

The counsel contended that the case had been lodged against Imran Khan by the lawyer’s stepson. In his petition, Imran Khan had sought leave to appeal against the high court order of June 15 at Quetta and to quash the case.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2023