ISLAMABAD: The Isla­m­abad High Court (IHC) on Monday gran­ted a final opportunity to the counsel representing the family of Dist­rict and Sessions Judge Humayun Dil­awar to present arguments in a petition filed by a senior official of Khy­ber Pakht­unkhwa’s anti-graft body.

This development came as the Peshawar High Cou­rt (PHC) rejec­ted the KP government’s plea to transfer the judge’s case from his hometown Bannu to the court’s principal seat.

KP Advocate General Shah Faisal Utmankhel had filed the application before the PHC to transfer a petition — filed by Mr Dilawar’s father — from the Bannu bench to Pesh­awar.

The law officer cited “deteriorated law and order” in southern districts and alleged atte­mpts by “influential pet­i­tioners” to obstruct justice.

He added that it would be “highly risky” for state counsel to attend hearings in Bannu due to rising instability.

PHC had rejected KP govt’s plea to move the case to Peshawar

The application was dismissed by the PHC.

In his petition, Mr Dilawar’s father had requested the court to quash the FIR registered against his family, including his son.

The FIR was registered over allegations of illegal land transfer related to the Central Provincial Eli­te Comm­unity Residencia (CPEC Res­idencia), a housing society in Bannu.

The Dilawar family, however, denied the wrongdoing.

Their writ petition alleges the FIR is a retaliatory move by the KP government after Judge Dila­war convicted PTI’s foun­der Imran Khan in a separate case.

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They claim the char­ges — related to transferring land owned by the father of the judge Dilawar Khan since 1969 — are bas­e­less and politically motivated.

“The registration of this case is a mala fide act to harass our family,” the petition states, alleging a “deliberate campa­ign” of humiliation, including bullying of school-going children.

On August 5, 2023, Mr Dilawar had con­v­icted former prime minister Khan for concealing the details of Toshakhana gifts from his assets declaration and sentenced him to three years in prison.

Later, the KP government lodged the FIR in a land-related matter agai­nst the judge and his family and secured their arrest warrants.

As per the record rela­ted to the dispute, Judge Dilawar’s family had acquired a piece of land in Bannu in 1970 and the work on a housing project on the land legally progressed under the PTI government.

However, after Mr Khan’s conviction, the judge’s family reportedly faced intimidation, which allegedly intensified after PTI came to power in KP following the February 8 elections.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2025