Imran Khan, the former leader of Pakistan, has been charged with abusing his position as prime minister from 2018 to 2022 to acquire and dispose of gifts that were given to the government on foreign trips.
In a corruption case in which the former prime minister is accused of hiding information about the presents he kept from the state repository, Pakistan’s Supreme Court denied Imran Khan’s appeal against the trial process on Friday as he withdrew the case.
In dismissing the Toshakhana case’s appeal, the supreme court noted that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) was considering a motion to transfer the case to another court. The court expressed its hope that the trial and the IHC’s rulings will follow the law.
The Supreme Court noted that the verdict would not have an impact on Khan’s other arguments.Khan is accused of exploiting his position as prime minister from 2018 to 2022 for improper purposes, including the purchase and sale of gifts that were given to the government on foreign trips and were valued at more than Rs 140 million (US$ 635,000).
Khan requested that the trial in the Toshakhana case, which is being heard at an Islamabad sessions court, be postponed, but the supreme court denied his motion on Wednesday. However, it also provided respite to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader by delaying further proceedings until Friday so that he may reapply in the event that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued a contrary ruling.
In the meantime, the IHC on Thursday deferred judgment on a series of petitions Khan filed challenging the Toshakhana trial. The aforementioned judgment is anticipated to be delivered on Friday. The appeal Khan filed against the trial court’s decision to deny him the ability to call witnesses in the case will also receive a reserved decision from the IHC.
Khan’s appeal was scheduled to be heard by a three-judge Supreme Court panel on Friday. The panel’s members were Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Musarrat Hilali, and Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi. But earlier today, Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi replaced Justice Naqvi, and the bench was recreated.
As part of the hearing, Advocate Khawaja Haris represented Khan, and Advocate Amjad Pervaiz represented the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The top court made the initial observation that the trial court could not reserve its decision in the Toshakhana case until the IHC rendered its decision, according to the morning daily.
The high court has been asked to transfer the matter to any other judge, the PTI chief’s attorney stated.
The dismissal of Khan’s witnesses in the Toshsakhana trial by the IHC was also disclosed to the top court by him.
The former prime minister in the Toshakhana case was disqualified by the ECP on October 21 of last year for making “false statements and incorrect declaration.”
Khan is accused of terrorism, violence, blasphemy, corruption, and murder in over 140 cases that have been filed against him around the nation.
Khan was removed from office in April of last year after losing a vote of no confidence that he said was a part of a US-led plot to assassinate him for his independent foreign policy choices on Russia, China, and Afghanistan.
