Panama verdict: Imran Khan not be attending Supreme Court session today

ISLAMABAD: As the Supreme Court of Pakistan is due to announce its reserved verdict in Panama Papers Case on Friday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan – who is also the main petitioner in the case – will not be attending the top court’s session today.

Talking to media outside the court, spokesperson to PTI Chairman Naeem ul Haque said that Imran Khan has cancelled his visit to the top court due to security concerns.

Anticipating a fair judgment upholding justice, Haque said that Supreme Court’s verdict will set a positive precedent for other politicians. “It will be historic, remembered for decades,” he added.

“The verdict will ensure transparency by discouraging politicians of wrongdoings. Nobody will be taking the public money to foreign countries,” Haque opined ahead of the top court’s judgment in the case.

He said that National Assembly should re-elect a new Prime Minister as Nawaz Sharif has failed to vindicate himself in Panama Papers case.

Earlier reports had stated that the PTI chief would attend the court’s session today.

However, an early morning tweet by the PTI chairman’s spokesperson, Naeemul Haque, stated that Imran Khan would not be going to the Supreme Court today.

Due to security concerns IK has cancelled his visit to the SC today.

— Naeem ul Haque (@naeemul_haque) July 28, 2017

The Supreme Court’s five-member Panama case bench is expected to begin proceedings at 11:30am today to announce its verdict.

PTI’s Shireen Mazari and Fawad Chaudhry, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Siraul Haq — another petitioner in the case — have reached the apex court.

Strict security measures are in place at the apex court where entry is only being allowed to those who have obtained special permission from the court’s Registrar.