Imran Khan’s indictment deferred in Toshakhana case

ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court on Tuesday granted an exemption to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan from today’s hearing in the Toshakhana case, ARY News reported.

Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal pronounced the verdict reserved earlier in the day after the PTI legal team filed a petition seeking exemption from personal appearance.

The indictment of the former prime minister in Toshakhana case was deferred as the court granted Khan an exemption to Imran Khan on medical grounds.

In November, a trial court took up the Toshakhana reference filed by Election Commission against Khan for allegedly indulging in corrupt practices, which the former premier denies.

The ECP disqualified Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the Toshakhana reference.

In the written judgment, the ECP said: “As per the statement of Imran Khan 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.”

“Imran Khan being declared disqualified and unseated from his National Assembly seat,” the ECP had said, adding: “He has been disqualified under Article 63, 1(P), over submitting a false statement and declaration”.

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.”

“His disqualification under Article 63, 1(P) has been for his current parliament membership”, the ECP said in its 36-page detailed judgment of the reference.

Today’s hearing

As the Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal resumed hearing the case filed by the ECP for criminal proceedings against the former prime minister, the PTI lawyers filed a petition seeking exemption from personal appearance in the Toshakhana case.

The petition was submitted by Khan’s lawyer Gohar Ali Khan and Ali Bukhari.

At the outset of the hearing, Khan’s lawyer Bukhari urged the court to fix next hearing of the case after Feb 15 as PTI chief was scheduled to appear before Judge Rakhshanda Shaheen on that day.

At this, the judge asked Bukhari to provide a final date

“Provide me a date when Imran Khan will appear before court,” the judge told the lawyer.

Bukhari told that said his client would appear before the court once allowed by his doctors.

After hearing the arguments, the judge directed the legal team of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to provide attested copies of the evidence and complaint.