SC office returns PTI founder's appeal against Toshakhana case sentence

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court office on Saturday returned the founder PTI’s appeal against conviction in Toshakhana case with objections, ARY News reported on Saturday.

According to the SC office objections, papers annexed with the appeal were incomplete. “The appeal can be submitted in the court with relevant documents by January 06.”

The PTI founder filed appeal in the apex court seeking suspension of the sentence in Toshakhana case.

The petitioner pleaded to the court to declare the Islamabad High Court’s decision as void.

“The sentence in Toshakhana case has already suspended. The high court only suspended the conviction but not announced complete decision,” petitioner argued. “The election commission taking advantage of the mistake issued notification of disqualification of the former PTI chairman,” according to petition.

“The elections are coming closer, former PTI chairman is also former prime minister of the country,” the petition read.

“The leader of the largest party of the could not be kept out of the elections,” petitioner said.

“The supreme court should suspend Toshakhana sentence so as he could participate in the election,” according to the plea.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday dismissed a petition by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, seeking suspension of the trial court’s verdict in the Toshakhana case.

On August 5, a trial court sentenced former prime minister to three years in prison after he was found guilty of graft in the Toshakhana case.

Following his conviction, the ECP disqualified the former prime minister for five years under Section 167 of the Elections Act, 2017.

However, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on August 28 suspended the Imran Khan’s sentence awarded to him in the Toshakhana case but his conviction and disqualification remain intact.

Later, PTI founder moved IHC for rectification of its August 28 order, by suspending the judgment on August 5 passed by the trial court.

Today, IHC Chief Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Tariq Mahmoud Jahangiri announced the reserved verdict, rejecting the petition to suspend the Toshakhana case decision.

The ruling emphasised the legal limitations regarding the revision or amendment of a suspended punishment order.