The Lahore High Court (LHC) Registrar Office has raised an objection to the intra-court appeal (ICA) filed by Bushra Bibi, the wife of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan. The objection states that the petition lacks the signature of the petitioner, raising doubts about its validity.
Bushra Bibi had filed the ICA in response to the decision made by LHC’s Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh. The judge had dismissed her plea and imposed a fine of Rs1,00,000 on April 20. In her plea, Bushra Bibi sought to “halt expected police action” at their residence in Zaman Park during the upcoming Eidul Fitr holidays.
The petition was filed by advocates Azhar Siddique and Intizar Hussain Panjotha on behalf of Bushra Bibi. The respondents named in the petition include the caretaker government through its chief secretary, the interior ministry through its secretary in Islamabad and Lahore, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Director General of FIA Islamabad, and the Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore.
During the previous proceedings on April 20, Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh had considered the petitioner’s plea irrelevant and imposed a fine of Rs. 100,000. Advocate Azhar Siddique, representing Bushra Bibi, argued that the petition was filed under different articles, highlighting the concrete information regarding an expected operation at Zaman Park during the Eid holidays.
Justice Sheikh, however, expressed his concerns about burdening the courts with such petitions and questioned the basis of passing an order based on speculations.
In her petition, Bushra Bibi claimed that a “brutal and illegal police operation” took place at her residence in Zaman Park on March 18, 2023. She alleged that the police used excessive force, including tear gas, baton charges, and throwing stones, resulting in injuries to several people present at the scene. The petition also mentioned damage to personal property and the forced entry into the premises by dismantling the main entrance gate with a crane.
The operation was carried out while PTI chief Imran Khan was away from Lahore, attending his case proceedings in Islamabad.
The Lahore High Court’s Registrar Office has raised concerns over the absence of Bushra Bibi’s signature in the petition, indicating potential issues with the filing. The court will review the objection and decide on the course of action regarding the intra-court appeal.
The proceedings highlight the legal battle surrounding the alleged police operation at Bushra Bibi’s residence and the ongoing legal challenges faced by the PTI leadership.