Toshakhana case: Court awards three years jail term to PTI Chairman

ISLAMABAD: District and Sessions Court on Saturday awarded three years jail term to the PTI chairman in Toshakhana criminal case, ARY News reported.

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.

Earlier, junior counsel PTI Khalid Yousuf sought time while informing the court that senior lawyer Khawaja Haris was busy in the NAB court. “Where is the accused,” Judge Humayun Dilawal asked. “Khawaja Haris will inform the court on the accused,” Khalid Yousuf said.

“You said Khawaja Haris has been busy in the NAB court, what he is doing,” the judge asked. “He is pleading on bail petitions,” junior lawyer said.

“The court had summoned at 8:30am, it is 10:30 now,” the judge remarked.

The court defer the hearing till 12:00 noon.

“The lead counsel should ensure his presence by 12:00, otherwise the court will take its decision,” Judge said.

The election commission’s counsels Amjad Pervaiz and Saad Hassan were appeared in the court of ADJ Humayun Dilawar.

Earlier, the court deferred the hearing till 10:30AM owing to absence of the Chairman PTI.s lawyers.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday 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 re-hear the case.

The court also rejected the PTI chairman’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.

Earlier, the trial court had declared the ECP reference against the PTI chief maintainable. The decision was subsequently challenged in the IHC.

Stringent security measures were made outside Judge Humayun Dilawar’s courtroom including a walk-through gate and barbed wires.

Only the approved lawyers and newsmen were allowed entry in the courtroom and no irrelevant person was allowed entry in the judicial complex.