The former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan was granted exemption from appearance in the Toskhana case being heard by a district and sessions court in the federal capital.
Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal announced the ruling after hearing arguments from the former prime minister’s legal team and prosecutor Amjad Parvez.
The PTI leader’s advocate requested a three-day exemption during the meeting, claiming that the Islamabad bar was staging a three-day protest.
According to Amjad Parvez, the suspect must guarantee his presence in court throughout the hearing. Even if his attorneys wanted to participate in the demonstration, he claimed that the PTI leader should have appeared before the court.
Khawaja Harris, Imran Khan’s attorney, responded that his client was receiving threats and that the government had also taken away his protection. Mr. Harris begged the judge to accept the claim of exemption.
Toshakhana case: Imran Khan’s arrest warrants cancelled as court adjourns hearing
The judge requested that both sides work together to schedule the case’s subsequent meeting. Khawaja Harris then asked for the meeting to be postponed for two weeks. Haris questioned the court’s expedited handling of this matter as well. The prosecutor stated, “SC’s observation is to announce verdict in criminal cases within 90 days.”
Amjad Parvez requested that the judge charge Imran Khan and set the trial date after Eid. Judge Zafar Iqbal later agreed to the exemption request and continued the case until April 29.
Toshakhana case
Imran Khan, the former prime minister and the leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the Toshakhana reference pursuant to Article 63(1).(p).
“According to Imran Khan’s statement, he had purchased the gifts from Toshakhana paying 21.564 million rupees, while the Cabinet Division said that the gifts had a value of 107.943 million,” the ECP stated in the written judgment.
“The amount in his bank account was around half of the value of the state gifts. Imran Khan was bound to declare the cash and bank details in his returns but he didn’t declare it,” ECP decision read.
“Imran Khan being declared disqualified and unseated from his National Assembly seat,” the ECP said, adding: “He has been disqualified under Article 63, 1(P), over submitting a false statement and declaration”.
