PTI chairman challenges his arrest in IHC

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday challenged his arrest in the Toshakhana case at Islamabad High Court, ARY News reported.

According to the details, Advocate Khawaja Haris and Barrister Gauhar filed the plea on behalf of Chairman PTI in IHC.

The plea stated that the decision of the trial court in the Toshakhana case is against the law and should be declared illegal.

The applicant requested that an order be issued to release the PTI chief, pending the decision on the appeal, by suspending the current sentence.

It is pertinent to mention here that district and sessions court awarded three years jail term to the PTI chairman in Toshakhana criminal case last week.

The court in its verdict said that the accused has been found guilty of corrupt practices and handed the PTI chairman three years jail sentence.

The court also imposed Rs. one lac fine over the convicted chief of the PTI.

The court also declared the former prime minister ineligible to hold public office for five years.

Toshakhana reference

The Toshakhana issue became a major sticking point in national politics after the Election Commission of Pakistan disqualified the PTI chief for making “false statements and incorrect declaration”.

The reference, which alleges that Imran failed to share details of the gifts he retained from the Toshaskhana (during his time as the prime minister) was filed by lawmakers from the ruling coalition last year.

The judgement added that the former premier was found to be indulged in corrupt practices under sections 167 and 173 of the constitution. “A criminal proceeding will be initiated against him over filing a false statement.”

On May 10, Imran had been indicted in the case, rejecting his petition to declare the Toshkhana case inadmissible. However, on July 4, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had overturned the said ruling.

On July 8, an Islamabad district and sessions court had declared the Toshakhana case against Imran to be maintainable. Subsequently, the former premier challenged the session court’s verdict in the IHC.

On August 4, the Islamabad High Court set aside a session court’s verdict that declared the Toshakhana reference against the PTI chairman as maintainable.

IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq had ordered the lower court to rehear the case. The court also rejected the PTI chairman Imran Khan’s appeal to transfer the case to another court and issued a notice for next week on the appeal to restore the right of defence.