The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has granted additional time to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) interim chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan to submit a written response to a petition seeking a ban on the official X account of former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan. The court adjourned the hearing until November 23.
Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir heard the petition filed by Ghulam Murtaza, with Barrister Gohar appearing in person before the court. During the proceedings, the court observed that the PTI leader could have submitted his written response earlier.
Barrister Gohar told the court that PTI did not claim ownership of the X account in question. He requested additional time to submit a detailed reply, citing a change in circumstances. The court accepted his request and postponed further proceedings, allowing the party representative more time to respond to the petition.
The petition seeks restrictions on Imran Khan’s official account on the social media platform X. The latest hearing concerned the submission of the PTI representative’s written response. The court’s decision to grant more time does not, by itself, determine the outcome of the petition.
In a separate development, Judicial Magistrate Shaista Kundi issued arrest warrants for individuals accused in cases related to the 2014 sit-in involving Imran Khan and other PTI leaders after they failed to appear in court. Imran Khan could not be presented before the magistrate because he remains imprisoned at Adiala Jail.
The magistrate adjourned the related proceedings until November 25 and directed that evidence be presented at the next hearing. The proceedings concerning the sit-in cases are separate from the Islamabad High Court petition seeking a ban on Imran Khan’s X account.
