The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has issued a notice to Naeem Haider Panjutha, the chief lawyer of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, summoning him to record a statement in connection with alleged Facebook posts made by Judge Humayun Dilawar. The inquiry has been initiated based on the directions of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The notice requires Naeem Haider Panjutha to appear before the FIA on August 8 at 10:00 am. Failure to do so will be interpreted as an admission of guilt or an absence of any defense, according to the notice.
Judge Dilawar reportedly made derogatory remarks about PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Facebook. Judge Dilawar presided over the Toshakhana criminal case against Imran Khan. Recently, Imran Khan was sentenced to a three-year term and fined Rs100,000 in the Toshakhana case. He has also been disqualified from holding any office for five years. Following the verdict, Imran Khan was arrested from his residence and subsequently transferred to Central Jail Attock.
This notice from the FIA adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing legal battle surrounding the Toshakhana case. It remains to be seen how Naeem Haider Panjutha will respond to the summons and what impact it will have on the PTI party and its future.