RAWALPINDI: Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has reacted calmly after receiving his sentence, his lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar told media outside Adiala jail.
He said Khan was not at all surprised by the decision and even smiled after hearing it. According to Safdar, the PTI leader instructed him to file an appeal in the High Court on behalf of both himself and his wife, Bushra Bibi.
Safdar shared some significant concerns about the legal process. He explained that the legal team had received late notice the night before that proceedings would be held the following morning at 9 AM. However, they had not expected a verdict to be delivered at that time. He recalled that on October 16, the judge had adjourned the case, and the date had been set for arguments, not for the announcement of a verdict.
Safdar strongly criticized the way the case was handled, alleging that the judge acted unlawfully by delivering the verdict in the absence of the defense lawyers. He further claimed that the judge had already prepared a 59-page decision, which was read out in court in full. According to Safdar, the judgment was based on a pre-written script, and no decision from Adiala Jail has ever been made on merit—relief has consistently been granted by the High Court in such cases.
Despite the serious nature of the verdict, Safdar revealed that Imran Khan remained composed, smiling and unfazed. He added that after reading the verdict, the judge left the courtroom without completing the necessary legal procedures.
