Friday May 12, 2023
ISLAMABAD – The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday barred a trial court from further proceedings in in the Toshakhana case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.
IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq gave the verdict while hearing PTI's plea seeking transfer of Toshakhan's case to another court as Additional Sessions Judge Humayun Dilawar accused of being "biased".
During the hearing, former Prime Minister's lawyer Khawaja Harris argued that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was not authorized to send a request for criminal proceedings against Imran Khan in the Toshakhan case. Harris argued that the election body violated the law by sending the complaint, adding that it was filed after the deadline.
Harris asked the High Court to issue a stay order in Toshakhan's case. The IHC accepted the request to suspend the trail till June 8 while issuing notices to the ECP and other parties.
Earlier this week, a district and sessions court in the federal capital indicted the PTI chief in the Toshakhan case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The former prime minister was present at the hearing when he denied the allegations and refused to sign the documents.
During the previous hearing, Khan's lawyer Khawaja Harris had argued that the district election commissioner had violated the law by lodging the complaint against the PTI chief.
However, the ECP lawyer in his counterarguments said the petition against the former prime minister was legal and added that the PTI was using delaying tactics. He emphasized that the Court of Appeal is obliged to decide a case related to corruption within three months.
At one point, Imran Khan's lawyer raised an objection that the ECP filed the petition after 120 days of its verdict regarding Imran Khan's disqualification in the Toshakhan case.
After hearing arguments, the judge reserved the verdict, which has now been announced. The court directed the PTI chief to appear before it on May 10 for the charge sheet.
Last year, Imran Khan was sued by the ruling coalition, accusing him of failing to disclose details of donations he kept from Toshakhana in his asset declarations. The ECP closed the case in October last year and cleared him of being dishonest and approached the District and Regional Court seeking criminal proceedings against Imran Khan in this regard.
