The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faiz Isa, concluded the hearing on Wednesday regarding retired Brigadier Ali Khan's plea to invalidate the 2024 general elections. The bench, comprising Justices Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Musarrat Hilali, disposed of the case.
Brigadier Ali Khan had filed a petition demanding an investigation into alleged election rigging and calling for a rerun of the elections. Despite being issued a notice by the Supreme Court on February 19 via the Ministry of Defence, Ali Khan, the petitioner, did not attend the hearing.
The Additional Attorney General informed the court that despite attempts to contact Ali Khan, including visits to his residence and notices served through the Ministry of Defence, he was not present. It was revealed that Ali Khan, a former brigadier who had faced a court-martial in 2012, was not at home when authorities visited, and the notice was affixed to his gate.
During the proceedings, PTI leader Shaukat Basra attempted to speak but was not allowed by the court, which requested him to allow the lawyers to proceed. Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa disclosed that the court had received an email from Ali Khan, stating his inability to attend due to being abroad. The email also indicated Khan's intention to withdraw the application, with attached travel documents showing his journey to Bahrain.
The Chief Justice noted the peculiar nature of Ali Khan's travel arrangements, questioning why he had purchased a one-way ticket instead of a return ticket, which typically costs less. He suggested that Ali Khan might have orchestrated a publicity stunt by filing the application in the Supreme Court.
Consequently, the Supreme Court dismissed Ali Khan's petition seeking to annul the February 8 elections and imposed a fine of Rs 0.5 million for his failure to appear in court.
