The Islamabad High Court has rejected a request to transfer the trial of TikToker Thana Yousuf’s murder case to another court. Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court, Justice Qazi Mohammad Amin Khan, issued a detailed judgment rejecting the request. The court termed the allegations of bias and misconduct against the trial judge as baseless. The court stated that repeatedly delaying the trial is an obstruction to justice, and the case will continue in the Additional Sessions Judge West Court.
The court also ordered the trial to continue under Judge Afzal Maqbool. The judgment stated that providing a lawyer at public expense is a constitutional right of the accused to ensure a fair trial. The court also found the language used by the accused against the trial court to be inappropriate. The judgment stated that the accused’s language against the judge is a blow to the dignity of the judiciary.
It is worth noting that the accused, Omar Hyat, had requested the transfer of the trial to another court, alleging bias against the Additional Sessions Judge. The accused had also alleged that the judge was biased.
The court also clarified that additional allowances will not be applicable during extraordinary leave, and expenses will be borne from the court’s budget for the fiscal year 2025-26.
